OK. Now I've changed the look of this blog, even adding a photo, but can't figure out how to change the colour of some of the text below! So let's see if I can give you the link to the Zadie Smith essay -- two successive Saturdays in the Guardian Review (one my regular weekend pleasures). I know I should have a whole list of recommended links etcetera but really, there are hundreds of literary blogs out there already all linking to each other, so I'm sure my recommendations would be superfluous!

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,1989004,00.html