4th Estate snaps up Vogue columnist's 'irreverent take on modern life'

4th Estate will publish the debut non-fiction title, Raven Smith’s Trivial Pursuits, described as “a smart and irreverent take on modern life” from the Vogue columnist’s perspective.

Smith is a freelance creative director and a guest lecturer at Central Saint Martins, who also writes an arts and lifestyle column for British Vogue and boasts more than 56,000 Instagram followers.

Michelle Kane, PR and publishing director at 4th Estate, acquired world rights for Raven Smith’s Trivial Pursuits from Richard Pike at C & W Publication to publish in 2020.

The title is billed as "a smart and irreverent take on modern life from Smith’s hilariously sharp and sardonic perspective". The topics covered include IKEA meatballs, turtle neck season, people making their own ceramics, date nights, Ant and Dec, and everything that goes through Smith's head in a yoga class. 

Kane said: “I’m beyond thrilled to be Raven’s publisher; he is an absolute master of the best sort of humour writing – makes you laugh then stops you in your tracks to make you think. This is the first of many books I believe which will position him as one of the finest humour writers we have in the UK.”

Smith said: “I’m delighted 4th Estate are taking on my first book examining the meaningful and meaningless minutiae of how we live today.”