Howard Belsey, a Rembrandt scholar who doesn't like Rembrandt, is an Englishman abroad and a long-suffering Professor at Wellington College. He has been married for thirty years to Kiki, an American woman who no longer resembles the sexy activist she once was. Their three children passionately pursue their own paths, and faced with the oppressive enthusiasms of his children, Howard feels that the first two acts of his life are over and he has no clear plans for the finale. Then Jerome, Howard's oldest son, falls for ...
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Howard Belsey, a Rembrandt scholar who doesn't like Rembrandt, is an Englishman abroad and a long-suffering Professor at Wellington College. He has been married for thirty years to Kiki, an American woman who no longer resembles the sexy activist she once was. Their three children passionately pursue their own paths, and faced with the oppressive enthusiasms of his children, Howard feels that the first two acts of his life are over and he has no clear plans for the finale. Then Jerome, Howard's oldest son, falls for Victoria, the stunning daughter of the right-wing icon Monty Kipps. Increasingly, the two families find themselves thrown together in a beautiful corner of America, enacting a cultural and personal war against the background of real wars that they barely register. . .
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Add this copy of On Beauty to cart. $9.77, good condition, Sold by The Yard Sale Store rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Narrowsburg, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Penguin Audio.
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Good. 6 Reliable AUDIO CDs withdrawn from the library collection. Some library marking. We will polish each Audio CD. You will receive a good set. Enjoy this presentable Audio CD performance.
Add this copy of On Beauty to cart. $54.31, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Penguin Audiobooks.
With each page of this book, I became more deeply involved with the story. The language was spectacular and the humor was sophisticated. There were several times I laughed aloud because of clever puns and quick wit. I loved the characters and how the story evolved. The only thing that I slightly disliked is that the drama escalated too much and was drawn out for two long. Smith could have cut the book in half and still had an excellent story. As it became more complicated and complex, it was more difficult for my mind to follow and actually became stressing.
However, I adore the quality of this book, it is a very rich read and I highly recommend it.
WriteOn
Jun 17, 2008
Smart and sassy
This book was my introduction to Zadie Smith, and I still can't believe people haven't told me about her before. I am trained as a family therapist, and Smith captures the subtle and not-so-subtle quirks of family life with accuracy and style. A fresh, captivating read for lovers and haters of American culture.
philart
Jan 22, 2008
Beautiful
Smith has the gift of creating beautiful and flawed characters - ones we love and hate simultaneously. Beyond the references to E.M. Forster and Rembrandt, she challenges her audience to question the value of beauty and the role it places in our lives. On Beauty is a superbly written novel, with the poetry of Nick Laird gracing its pages.
Emily11507
Jul 9, 2007
Smith's best novel so far
All of Zadie Smith's novels are brilliant, but On Beauty surpasses her earlier works for prose style, rhythm, character development, and plot movement. Everything about the novel is pitch perfect, and her loving satire on the academy matches the best of A. S. Byatt and David Lodge.
