Night Waves - Zadie Smith/Dieter Rams/A Serious Man

Philip Dodd talks to writer Zadie Smith about her new collection of essays as well as her work since she shot to fame with White Teeth, her portrayal of modern multicultural London. Smith has published three novels, but this publication, entitled Changing My Mind, is a collection of her non-fiction works covering a wide-variety of topics, from authors such as Franz Kafka and David Foster Wallace, to going to the Oscars as well as the world of British comedy, Barack Obama, Katherine Hepburn and feminism. Does she prove herself as adept at the art of the essay as she is at the novel? Designer Dieter Rams's simple lines and functional designs for electrical manufacturer Braun transformed the look of everyday objects like toasters, razors and hi-fi systems. His influence can be seen in the fashion for sleek pared down household design today. As a retrospective exhibition opens at the Design Museum in London, Philip is joined by Sam Hecht who designs for Muji, and Justin McGuirk, editor of Icon Magazine to assess Rams's design legacy. And Jeffrey Lyons joins Philip to review A Serious Man, the new film from the Coen Brothers, responsible for Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink and O Brother, Where Art Thou. Their latest is a darkly comic retelling of the story of Job, and for the Coens it is a very personal trip to the small-town Jewish community of their youth.