How to Be Both Summary & Key Insights

Ali Smith's "How to Be Both" is a structurally innovative novel, presenting two interwoven narratives that the reader can approach in either order. One narrative follows George, a 16th-century painter living in Renaissance Italy, while the other centers on present-day teenager, also named George, living in Scotland. These narratives are not explicitly connected, yet the book subtly suggests a deep, perhaps even spiritual, resonance between them.

The first George, an artist of considerable talent, navigates the complexities of love, loss, and artistic creation. We witness their passionate yet tumultuous relationship with their patron and lover, alongside their intense observation of the world around them, which fuels their art. Their experiences with power dynamics, societal expectations, and the fleeting nature of life deeply influence their artistic vision, leading to profound self-reflection and a growing awareness of their own mortality. Their story is told through fragments, diary entries, letters, and descriptions of their paintings, creating a sense of intimate access to their inner world.

The second George, the contemporary teenager, confronts very different challenges: a fractured family, the struggles of adolescence, and the search for self-identity. This George is more outwardly focused, navigating their friendships, school life, and the complexities of modern communication. Their story unfolds with a more straightforward, though equally fragmented, narrative style. This George's life is heavily marked by loss and their efforts to cope and understand the world around them.

The central theme uniting both Georges is the exploration of identity and the multiple selves we embody throughout our lives. Each George grapples with questions of self-discovery and the inherent contradictions of being human. The novel suggests that our past, our present, and even the art we create, all form an essential part of who we are. It explores the concept of "being both" - simultaneously a specific individual and a part of something much larger, connected to others across time and space.

The book's structure, allowing the reader to choose their starting point, underscores this theme. Reading the stories in different orders reveals new connections and emphasizes the fluidity of identity and time. The act of reading itself becomes a participatory experience, mirroring the creative process explored by the Renaissance George. Ultimately, "How to Be Both" is a profound meditation on art, life, love, loss, and the interconnectedness of everything, urging readers to consider the multiplicity inherent in the human experience. The dual Georges, though vastly separated in time and circumstance, become mirrors reflecting the shared human condition, ultimately more alike than different.