Foreign brides - Elena Lappin

'Every now and again a new writer comes along who confounds as much as pleases, whose vision is quirky yet accurate; who is witty but capable of profound observation. Lappin is the latest addition to this small club of original talents . . . "A new joke acts almost like an event of universal interest; it is passed from one person to another like the news of a latest victory," says Freud. Foreign Brides deserves a similar reception' Cressida Connolly, Observer

'An immensely likeable first collection . . . Lappin uses a lithe and frolicsome language full of entertainment' Liz Jensen, Independent

'A delight, and deserves the widest possible public' Edwina Currey, Literary Review

'Engaging and elegant' Sunday Times

'While Lappin's concerns are serious ones, her tone is crisp and light, almost nonchalant. If there is any comedy to be extracted from a difficult situation, she will be sure to find it.' Marina Benjamin, Evening Standard

'Lappin explores the themes of exile and emigration with verve and great sympathy . . . she has the ability to convey a great deal, sometimes a lifetime, in a few pages . . . a generosity of spirit prevails' Carol Birch, Times Literary Supplement