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Duke in Pictures: Zadie Smith at the Von Der Heyden

Zadie Smith

"There might be some singing, swearing and mild nudity." Author Zadie Smith offered only this warning before reading a freshly penned short story. As the keynote speaker of the 2013 Blackburn Literary Festival, Smith addressed a crowd of about 200 students, faculty and members of the Duke community in von der Heyden Pavilion on Thursday.

After finishing her reading -- which, steeped in humor, had left many of her listeners in stitches -- Smith answered questions from the audience, ranging from her sources of inspiration to her experiences as a transplant in New York City. When asked about her creative process, Smith elaborated on the hustle and discipline it takes to write.

"I really just have to get stuff done. I don't have time to wait on a romantic dose of inspiration. I just need to get the words down," she said.

Smith is the latest author to speak on campus as part of the Blackburn Literary Festival, an annual event sponsored by the Archive literary magazine. Short story writer and satirist George Saunders will be on campus next week, speaking at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the Franklin Humanities Institute garage in the Smith Warehouse.

Photos by Les Todd/Duke University Photography

zadie Smith