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White Teeth, a best-selling first novel by English author Zadie Smith published in 2001, is a family saga, an international thriller, a meditation on life, and a satire on immigration, racism, assimilation, sexism, youth culture, liberal education, and religion
. Its themes are serious, but its tone is light. The narrator’s strong, distinctive voice is compassionate, wise, and witty, transporting the reader to a London immigrant community in the late 20th century, a complex world of clashing cultures and evolving identities. The critical and commercial success of White Teeth helped establish Smith as a leading contemporary writer.