Want to genre jump?
FEATURING: Intimations and Grand Union: Stories by Zadie Smith
I love writers who are not confined to the limits of one genre. They stretch themselves while increasing their reach to a broader audience. But here's why I really love genre jumping authors: the beauty of the language typically transfers from fiction to nonfiction which makes for a more enjoyable read (Translation: less boring). Which I recommend for those who traditionally avoid nonfiction for that reason.
While there are many authors who have successfully done this, this year, Zadie Smith stood out as one who did it well and in a timely manner. Her book Intimations captured the mental and emotional acrobatics of living through a pandemic. In comparison Grand Union: Stories (2019), a collection of short stories, explored various ideas, one being surviving an apocalypse. Which is hilarious considering our current realistic circumstances.
Being a contemporary writer, Zadie Smith also has references to many relatable people and incidents that make reading her work fun, but she also does not compromise her voice and personal experiences of being a Black British woman and explores the intersections of her identity and popular culture while injecting a bit of humor along the way. #holidaygiftguide