Ruth Rothwax, a successful woman with her own business, Rothwax Correspondence, can find order and meaning in writing words for other people—condolence letters, thank-you letters, even you-were-great-in-bed letters. But as the daughter of Edek Rothwax, an Auschwitz survivor with a somewhat idiosyncratic approach to the English language, Ruth can find no words to understand the loss of her family experienced during World War II. 
Ruth is obsessed with the idea of returning to Poland with her father, but she doesn't quite understand why she feels this so intensely. To make sense of her family's past, yes. To visit the places where her beloved mother and father lived and almost died, certainly. But she knows there's more to this trip. By facing Poland, and the past, she can finally confront her own future.

Too Many Men: A Novel

Literature & Fiction

Brett, Lily

Literary

Harper-perennial

Ruth Rothwax, the heroine of Lily Brett's Too Many Men, which was hailed as "irresistible" (People) as well as "funny," "powerful," and "chilling" (O magazine), is back. The proprietor of a successful letter-writing business, Ruth has just branched out into a new greeting-card line. But it's not easy. Her father, Edek, is driving her crazy at the office. And the very people she thought would be most supportive -- other women -- are not. Instead of acting in one another's best interests, the women are catty and competitive, behaviors Ruth swears that she will never imitate. Until she meets the one woman who turns her aspirations of sisterly solidarity -- and her life -- upside down.
Fresh off the plane from Poland, Zofia is a buxom, sixty-something femme fatale with a talent for making balls. Meatballs, that is. When Edek asks his savvy daughter to fund his friend Zofia's restaurant, how can Ruth say no? But Ruth knows that gleam in Zofia's eye, and it means trouble is on the way for all of them. An unforgettable, heartwarming story of embracing life, You Gotta Have Balls is a funny, moving triumph from the highly inventive Lily Brett.

You Gotta Have Balls: A Novel

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

William Morrow

It hasn't been easy for Ruth Rothwax, the proprietor of a successful letter-writing business, to branch out into a new greeting-card line. Her father, Edek, is driving her crazy at the office. Other women, who she thought would be supportive, are being catty and competitive, behavior Ruth swears that she will never imitate. But then Zofia arrives to turn Ruth's aspirations of sisterly solidarity—and her life—upside down. Fresh off the plane from Poland—a buxom, sixty-something femme fatale with a talent for making meatballs—Zofia wants to open a restaurant. And Edek, Zofia's most passionate admirer, wants his daughter to finance the enterprise. But Ruth knows that gleam in Zofia's eye only too well . . . and she knows it means big trouble for all of them.

Uncomfortably Close: A Novel

Too Many Men

Picador

In New York Lily Brett turns her razor-sharp gaze on a city which has entertained, inspired and perplexed her for the decade she has lived there in a SoHo loft apartment with her artist husband. Lily muses on the dearth of single men and crime, the effect Monica Lewinsky has had on body image and New York street conversation, and celebrity hairdressers expert in the latest plastic surgery fads.This is a very personal account of New York life, told with all the wit and insight that the award-winning author of Too Many Men and In Full View is famous for.

New York

You Gotta Have Balls

Pan/Macmillan

What God Wants

Random House Value Publishing

The daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Ruth Rothwax, the owner of her own successful business, Rothwax Correspondence, becomes obsessed with returning to Poland with her father, in order to make sense of her family's past, come to terms with their overwhelming loss, and put her own life into perspective so that she can confront the future. 20,000 first printing.

British & Irish

Univ of Queensland Pr

Collected Stories

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brett, Lily. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Brett, Lily