Occasional Essay

Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith is a collection of independent essays on various topics for almost any taste. Such a variety of themes allows readers to learn more about the author’s outlook on literature, politics, education, and even family life. It is light, sometimes entertaining, but still thought-provoking reading for people who appreciate a vivid and witty writing style.

A writer herself, Zadie Smith simply can’t mention the role of black female writers in the world literature. She voices the concerns that many of us have but rarely discuss: intellectuals and literature critics’ contempt for so called female literature. Believe it or not, but many people are too shy to admit that they enjoy reading love lines in women’s writing. Critics used to praise those female writers who wrote in a manly fashion and dragged down those who depicted women in search for love. When she was a teenager, Zadie behaved just like those critics. She reprimanded writers who narrowed down women’s aspirations to search of their won Prince Charming. However, she changes her opinion as soon as she finds the writer whose works, experience, and cultural backgrounds are somehow similar to her own.

Occasional Essay Definition

• An essay series tackling pressing issues at the intersection of speech, privacy, and technology The Knight Institute’s Occasional Papers series aims to bring to a broad audience thoughtful, provocative work from scholars and experts who usually write for more specialized audiences.
• Occasional Papers. 87 Questions and A Few Tentative Answers. A Reflection from Finland. Dick Hanzelka, EIWP Project Manager, St. Ambrose University.
• Occasional Papers is a non-profit publisher of affordable books devoted to the histories of architecture, art, design, film and literature. Founded in 2008 by Sara De Bondt and Antony Hudek. For questions about sales or distribution, please contact Sarah Horn, our distribution manager at info@occasionalpapers.org.

Occasional Papers The LCWR Occasional Papers is a journal published by the conference that offers articles and reflections on topics pertinent to women religious leaders. Copies of back issues may be purchased by contacting Bianca Louis at blouis@lcwr.org.

As it has been already mentioned, the writer does pay attention to world politics, especially to the situations in developing countries. Her short-lasting visit described in One Week in Liberia and is highly recommended to everyone who thinks that war is a game. Destroyed infrastructure is not the worst thing there, what is more dangerous is hopeless existence that many are doomed to lead. As one of the passengers on the flight to Liberia said, it is difficult to stay kind whilst living surrounded with cruelty and violence. Low income, illiteracy, and lack of prospects make life almost unbearable, but there are people who refuse to put up with the situations.

Zadie Smith Occasional Essays

Teachers, doctors, and just volunteers fight to bring the country back to life. They don’t complain even then when it seems that everything they do is in vain. This is a reminder to be grateful for what we have for all of us who take such fragile things as peace for granted. A topic of war is repeated in the essay Occasional Hero which is dedicated to Zadie’s father, Harvey Smith, who fought in Normandy in World War II. It is a story about a rethinking of traumatic experience.