{"id":1289,"date":"2016-04-20T19:39:37","date_gmt":"2016-04-20T14:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fableandi.com\/?p=1289"},"modified":"2020-04-04T21:36:21","modified_gmt":"2020-04-04T16:06:21","slug":"book-review-autograph-man-zadie-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebooksatchel.com\/book-review-autograph-man-zadie-smith\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"
Twenty something Alex Li-Tandem is an obsessed fan. He idolizes a Hollywood actress named Kitty. He desperately attempts to get in touch with her even in the middle of a personal disaster.<\/p>\n
Alex Li-Tandem is a Chinese-Jewish man who makes a living out of collecting autographs, signed photographs and letters of celebrities. The story is set in the suburbs of Mountjoy, London where we see the Autograph Man (Alex) dividing everything in the world into Jewish and Goyish.<\/p>\n
The contrasting ease with which Alex is able to write heartfelt fan letters to his idol Kitty, for thirteen years, but is unable to communicate in an effective manner with his girlfriend Esther with whom he has had a ten year relationship forms the crux of the story. Zadie has done a brilliant narrative about celebrity obsession mingled with thoughts of love, death, religion and friendship. There are many symbolic references of obstructions (like Alex\u2019s rabbi friends asking him for help to fit a huge piece of furniture in a small car) which can be enjoyed in the literary sense. The plot tightens as Alex finds himself in possession of an autograph of Kitty whose authenticity he is unable to determine. At the same time, his personal life is in a mess with his relationship with Esther being complicated by his acquaintance with a girl named Boot and he finds himself questioning his friendships. The story is about Alex\u2019s journey to find himself, fulfill his dream of meeting Kitty and different perspectives on personal glory and selfless helping.<\/p>\n