Book Club Discussion: White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Thu, Feb 26 2026
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Greenpoint Library

adults book club book discussion conversations

Join our book discussion group to discuss Zadie Smith's debut novel, White Teeth! Share your thoughts on the book and get to know other readers in your community.

At the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England’s irrevocable transformation. A second marriage to Clara Bowden, a beautiful, albeit tooth-challenged, Jamaican half his age, quite literally gives Archie a second lease on life, and produces Irie, a knowing child whose personality doesn’t quite match her name (Jamaican for “no problem”). Samad’s late-in-life arranged marriage (he had to wait for his bride to be born), produces twin sons whose separate paths confound Iqbal’s every effort to direct them, and a renewed, if selective, submission to his Islamic faith. Set against London’s racial and cultural tapestry, venturing across the former empire and into the past as it barrels toward the future, White Teeth revels in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life, flirting with disaster, confounding expectations, and embracing the comedy of daily existence.

Place your copy on hold with our online catalog or visit the branch to check it out. Ebook formats are available in our new app or on Libby! 

No need to finish the book beforehand. All are welcome!

cover of white teeth by zadie smith, with large font in red and blue on white background
107 Norman Ave. at Leonard St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222 Get Directions
Add to My Calendar 02/26/2026 06:00 pm 02/26/2026 07:30 pm America/New_York Book Club Discussion: White Teeth by Zadie Smith <p>Join our book discussion group to discuss Zadie Smith's debut novel, <em><strong>White Teeth</strong></em>! Share your thoughts on the book and get to know other readers in your community.</p><p><em>At the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England’s irrevocable transformation. A second marriage to Clara Bowden, a beautiful, albeit tooth-challenged, Jamaican half his age, quite literally gives Archie a second lease on life, and produces Irie, a knowing child whose personality doesn’t quite match her name (Jamaican for “no problem”). Samad’s late-in-life arranged marriage (he had to wait for his bride to be born), produces twin sons whose separate paths confound Iqbal’s every effort to direct them, and a renewed, if selective, submission to his Islamic faith. Set against London’s racial and cultural tapestry, venturing across the former empire and into the past as it barrels toward the future, White Teeth revels in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life, flirting with disaster, confounding expectations, and embracing the comedy of daily… Brooklyn Public Library - Greenpoint Library MM/DD/YYYY 60