WHITE TEETH

This first novel has been so universally praised that one fears for about two minutes that it must disappoint, but in truth Zadie Smith has the range and sense of humor of a postmodern Dickens. White Teeth is a saga of two London families. Archie Jones and Muslim immigrant Samard Iqbal, whose improbable friendship was forged during their service together in WWII, each marry much younger women in the same late year of their lives, and Samard's twin boys and Archie's half-Jamaican daughter grow up together. The number of characters, let alone accents, requires dazzling skill to perform--and prepare to be dazzled--as Jenny Sterlin works some kind of miracle with this wildly mad and impressive book. A marvelous audio experience. B.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]