'I'm not too beautiful to be an author': Zadie Smith condemns 'ridiculous' obsession with her looks The White Teeth writer hit out at 'misogynists' on Desert Island Discs The assumption beautiful women did not have to be intelligent is 'sinister' On the attack: Best-selling author Zadie Smith has branded those who claim she is too beautiful to be a writer 'misogynists' Best selling author Zadie Smith has attacked "misogynists" who claim she is too beautiful to be a great writer. During an interview on today's episode of Desert Island Discs, Ms Smith condemns the media's "ridiculous" obsession with her looks and the implicit and "sinister" suggestion that a beautiful woman cannot achieve literary greatness. The 37-year-old, who finished her award-winning debut novel White Teeth during her final year at Cambridge University, said: "People seem to think I put those photos in the paper. I don't put them in. Photo editors put my photo in because it's the easiest thing to do, I suppose. She added: "Some of it is just ridiculous. A friend was telling me that in an Italian newspaper they had an editorial letter about how I was probably quite a good writer. But I couldn't possibly be a great writer because, in their opinion, I was too attractive and when you thought about writers those things never went together. Ms Smith went on to cite Sylvia Plath as an example of a beautiful female author before addressing "sinister" sexist attitudes. She said: "What is fascinating about it is what it assumes. It is a really misogynistic and fascinating thought. Because what it means is that if you are beautiful, then you have no need to be intelligent - it is a very sinister thought actually. Desert Island Discs will be on BBC Radio 4 today at 11.15am. Radio appearance: Ms Smith appeared on Desert Island discs this morning when the 37-year-old condemned the media's obsession with her looks