EP.263 - ZADIE SMITH

Adam talks with author Zadie Smith about fun, trivial things like Wordle start words, men who dress as if they're still young, and the sadness of podcasts becoming TV shows, and then not trivial things like the problems associated with empathy when it comes to politics, war and fiction writing. Plus, what is Zadie's problem with Generation X? Conversation recorded face-to-face in London on 7 October 2025  Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support Podcast illustration by Helen Green Listen to Adam's album 'Buckle Up'  Order Adam's book 'I Love You Byeee'  Sign up for the newsletter on Adam's website (scroll down on homepage) RELATED LINKS DEAD AND ALIVE by Zadie Smith - 2025 (PENGUIN) ZADIE SMITH ON FASHION NEUROSIS PODCAST WITH BELLA FREUD - 2025 (YOUTUBE) ZADIE AND DEVONTÉ HYNES ON 'HOLDING UP THE LADDER' PODCAST - 2025 (ACAST) ZADIE SMITH ON WILD CARD - 2025 (NPR) LISA THATCHER - THE BRILLIANCE OF WHITE TEETH - 2012 CHARLIE KIRK WAS PRACTICING POLITICS THE RIGHT WAY by Ezra Klein - 11 September, 2025 (NY TIMES) CHARLIE KIRK REDEEMED, A POLITICAL CLASS FINDS ITS LOST CAUSE by Ta-Nehisi Coates - 2025 (VANITY FAIR) EZRA KLEIN AND TA-NEHISI COATES HASH OUT THEIR CHARLIE KIRK DISAGREEMENT - 2025 (YOUTUBE) PHILOSOPHERS DESCRIBED BY PEEP SHOW - 2025 (YOUTUBE) ZADIE SMITH ON HOW LANGUAGE UPSETS THE RIGHT - 2025 (YOUTUBE) THANK YOU VERY MUCH - ANDY KAUFMAN DOC (OFFICIAL TRAILER) - 2023 (YOUTUBE) CHRIS SMITH ON JIM CAREY AND ANDY KAUFMAN (ADAM BUXTON PODCAST BONUS) - 2017 (ADAM'S WEBSITE/SOUNDCLOUD) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.