Let's make this birthday one to remember.

49 years old (Born on October 25, 1975)

Happy Birthday, Zadie Smith! May your day be filled with as much wit and charm as the unforgettable characters you've gifted us in "White Teeth." Your debut masterpiece still shines brightly—TIME magazine wasn't kidding when they named it among their top 100 English-language novels. Clearly, you set a high bar early on!

And let's not forget your brilliant essays and insightful literary critiques gracing Harper's Magazine; each piece is proof that you're just getting better (and funnier) with age. Here's to another year of sharp observations, clever prose—and perhaps finally revealing how one achieves such flawless storytelling magic!