On BeautyOn Beauty
Score Modern
What it's about
The Belseys are a mixed-race family in a New England college town: Howard, a white English art historian; his African-American wife, Kiki; and their three children. Howard's career is stuck, his marriage is in trouble after an affair, and his bitter rival, a conservative Trinidadian scholar, has just arrived on campus with his family. A comedy of culture wars, love and beauty unfolds.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Booker finalist and won the Orange Prize, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It's a warm, witty tribute to Forster's Howards End.
You'll love it if you liked
White Teeth
Howards End
The CorrectionsGood to know
It's long and lively. There's infidelity and campus politics.
By the numbers
- Readers9 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics88 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller23 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #199 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #890 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1648 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Zadie Smith
If you like this, read next
Americanah
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie Bain
Half of a Yellow Sun
Infinite JestExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is On Beauty worth reading?
Yes. It was a Booker finalist and won the Orange Prize, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #1,648 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is On Beauty about?
The Belseys are a mixed-race family in a New England college town: Howard, a white English art historian; his African-American wife, Kiki; and their three children. Howard's career is stuck, his marriage is in trouble after an affair, and his bitter rival, a conservative Trinidadian scholar, has just arrived on campus with his family. A comedy of culture wars, love and beauty unfolds.
How long does it take to read On Beauty?
About 12 hours (472 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has On Beauty won?
Women's Prize for Fiction winner (2006).
What should I read after On Beauty?
If you liked it, try White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Howards End by E.M. Forster or The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.