White Teeth

Its 1974. Archie Jones is one of lifes great losers. Even his attempt to kill himself is foiled by a passing butcher. The return of his old war comrade, Samad Iqbal, brings back a secret Archie has been trying to forget, and Samads wedding to a feisty girl half his age makes lonely Archie feel even worse. Convinced that he picked up the wrong life in the cloakroom of existence, Archie is not expecting a sudden diversion to a funkier place. But on New Years Eve, a chance encounter at a wild party changes everything.

Its 1992, and sexy Millat is 17, streetwise and idolised by Archies daughter Irie, who is in turn adored by nerdy Josh Malfen. When all three get caught with a joint at school, their punishment is study classes with Joshs eccentric parents, controversial geneticists Marcus and Joyce. Millat charms Joyce, and soon moves in with them after Samad kicks him out. But before long, Joyce and Irie are heartbroken when Millat leaves to join an Islamic sect. Meanwhile, to Samads horror, grown-up Magid is more British than ever. He has a place at Oxford - and a secret benefactor who is flying him home.