On Beauty
by Zadie Smith
On Beauty by Zadie Smith holds a well received rating of 3.68 out of 5, based on 44.3K reader ratings. First published in 2005. The book spans 445 pages.
About On Beauty
Howard Belsey, a Rembrandt scholar who doesn't like Rembrandt, is an Englishman abroad and a long-suffering professor at Wellington, a liberal New England arts 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: Levi quests after authentic blackness, Zora believes that intellectuals can redeem everybody, and Jerome struggles to be a believer in a family of strict atheists. 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. Or the encore.Then Jerome, Howard's older son, falls for Victoria, the stunning daughter of the right-wing icon Monty Kipps, and 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. An infidelity, a death, and a legacy set in motion a chain of events that sees all parties forced to examine the unarticulated assumptions which underpin their lives. How do you choose the work on which to spend your life? Why do you love the people you love? Do you really believe what you claim to? And what is the beautiful thing, and how far will you go to get it?Set on both sides of the Atlantic, Zadie Smith's third novel is a brilliant analysis of family life, the institution of marriage, intersections of the personal and political, and an honest look at people's deceptions. It is also, as you might expect, very funny indeed.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Zadie Smith |
| Published | 2005 |
| Pages | 445 |
| Genres | Fiction, Fiction |
| Average Rating | 3.68 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 44,317 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is On Beauty?
On Beauty is categorized as Fiction, Fiction. Its primary genre classification is Fiction.
Is On Beauty worth reading?
Based on 44.3K reader ratings, On Beauty has an average score of 3.68 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is On Beauty?
On Beauty has 445 pages.
Who wrote On Beauty?
On Beauty was written by Zadie Smith. It was first published in 2005.
What is the ISBN for On Beauty?
The ISBN-13 for On Beauty is 9780143037740.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
