Zadie Smith's debut novel was published by Penguin in 2000. Garnering both critical acclaim as well as a huge readership, White Teeth exemplified the kind of popular and intelligent books that Penguin founder Allen Lane sought to publish. Martha and Hanwell brings together two of Smith's recent stories - never before published in book form - offering a treat for fans of her witty, powerful and often electrifying prose.

A further thundering on the stairs and three more men, younger, also bearded. They stood bent like their friend, panting, one man crying the involuntary tears of a Massachusetts winter. They stared at Pam who stared frankly back at them, with her hands on her makeshift hips, up there where her black linen trousers began, high under the breasts. A black t-shirt and cardigan finished the thing off. Pam was a recognised doodlenut when it came to clothes, buying the same things over and over, black and loose, like a fat Zen monk. She didn't mind. Her moustache was moist and visible - oh, so let 'em stare was how Pam felt about it. Young men did not register with Pam any more.

"My friends," explained the man, and with his friends began the descent, emptying out a demotic mystery language into the stairwell. Miss Penk must have passed them on the bend. A moment later she was in the room apologising for her lateness.

"Sorry I'm late, I'm sorry," she said, but did not look sorry. Her face, very black, could not blush, and her accent, to Pam's ears very English, could not apologise. She stood in the centre of the room, clumsily divesting herself of the loud red coat. She was short, but more muscular, more solid than she had appeared from three floors up. A cheap-looking grey trouser suit and some fake pearls were conspiring to make her older than she was. The buttons on the jacket looked like rusty spare change.

"No, I saw you, you see," began Pam warmly, coming forward to catch what was falling, a scarf, a woolly hat, "There's two Milliner's - did you see those men? On the stairs? They did the exact same thing - and I saw you down -"

"The lift's broken, it don't work," said Martha, and now lifted her head and reached out a hand. Pam felt faintly interrupted, but took the hand and gave it a double-handed shake.

"Pam Roberts, we spoke on the phone. It's so good to meet you!"

"I'm Martha," she replied and quickly freed herself. She passed a smoothing hand over her own short ironed hair, cut in a flapper's style, a helmet brilliant with some kind of polish. A solid-looking kiss-curl had been plastered on to her left cheek. Pam had never seen anything quite like it in her office before.

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Otherwise Pandemonium - Nick Hornby
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