“Right. I look fine. Except I don't,' said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki had dreaded having girls: she knew she wouldn't be able to protect them from self-disgust. To that end she had tried banning television in the early years, and never had a lipstick or a woman's magazine crossed the threshold of the Belsey home to Kiki's knowledge, but these and other precautionary measures had made no difference. It was in the air, or so it seemed to Kiki, this hatred of women and their bodies-- it seeped in with every draught in the house; people brought it home on their shoes, they breathed it in off their newspapers. There was no way to control it.”

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About Zadie Smith

English novelist, essayist, and short-story writer

Zadie Smith is an English novelist, essayist, and short-story writer. Her debut novel, White Teeth, appeared in 2000 and quickly became a best-seller, bringing her wide attention. She has 153 quotes on the site. Smith’s first novel also won several awards. In September 2010, she became a tenured professor in the creative writing faculty at New York University.

More from Zadie Smith (153 quotes) →

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Books by Zadie Smith

White Teeth

2001

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On Beauty

2005

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The Autograph Man

2003

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Swing Time

2017

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Changing my mind

2009

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