Zadie Smith releases new essay collection ‘Muertos y vivos’

Author Zadie Smith has released a new collection of essays titled ‘Muertos y vivos’ (published by Salamandra and Jande Editorial). The collection serves as a reflection on her career, spanning from her early success with ‘White Teeth’ to her current perspectives at age 50.

The essays cover a variety of themes, including the impact of social media platforms like TikTok on younger generations, the limitations of being categorized by opinions, and reflections on literary colleagues such as Joan Didion and Martin Amis. Smith also addresses political topics, including Gaza and British politics, noting that while she does not consider herself an activist, her writing often intersects with these issues.

Smith expresses a critical view of the literary industry and the necessity of certain awards, describing the hypocrisy she sometimes encounters in the literary world and her personal discomfort with public speaking and literary events.