Elinor Lipman

Dr. Alice Thrift doesn't excel at interpersonal communication. Actually, that's putting it lightly. She's an intern who wants to become a surgeon, works long hours, and takes everything seriously. When Ray Russo, a former near-patient for a nose job, starts calling her and asking her out, she's rather flattered and can't quite see how this could go wrong, despite the advice of everyone around her.

I was in the mood for something light and knew an Elinor Lipman book would fit the bill. show more Despite, or perhaps because of, her serious nature, Alice was a really fun heroine. I'm not so great at reading people either, but even I was a step ahead of Alice and sometimes laughing at her naivete. She tells you on the very first page that her relationship with Ray doesn't work out, so reading this felt kind of like watching a car wreck - you just can't look away. show less

Faith Frankel has recently come back to her roots in Everton, and decides to buy the house at 10 Turpentine Lane - without telling her fiance, Stuart, who's off on a cross-country walking tour finding himself after an emergency appendectomy has him philosophizing about life. Then all hell breaks loose in her office, because one of the school's donors made out a substantial check to Faith herself, rather than the school she works for, and the only person who stands up for her is her show more officemate Nick. Throw in a little bit of mystery about the previous occupants of Faith's new house, and you've got the flavor of Elinor Lipman's newest novel, featuring an independent heroine, eccentric relatives, and lots of heart and humor.

I expected some light, fun reading and was not disappointed. Faith's family was hilarious and heartbreaking by turns, and I found myself both maddened by them and cheering for them. The funny, fast dialog is Lipman's standard fare, and I really enjoyed the time I spent with the characters populating On Turpentine Lane. show less

3.5***

Rachel Klein works for the White House Office of Records Management (WHORM), taping together the pieces of official documents that # 45 has torn up (despite being repeatedly told that all official documents must be kept for the National Archives). When she sends a drunken tweet voicing her frustrations but accidently hits “reply all” she is unceremoniously fired. As she exits the Executive Office Building, she’s struck by a speeding SUV … which, she learns later, is being show more driven by a “close personal friend of the President.”

This was a fun, fast, joy of a rom-com to read. First, Yes, there really is a WHORM and someone (or a team of someones) really did have to tape back together the pieces of documents torn up by # 45. But the rest is pure fiction, and delightful fiction at that.

In addition to the very likeable Rachel the cast of characters includes her new boss, a muckraking journalist given to writing nasty books about # 45, Rachel’s parents, who own a paint & wallpaper store in NYC, her roommates, a lesbian couple who are both attorneys working for DOJ and unapologetic matchmakers, and the met-cute boyfriend Alex. And, of course, COVID eventually arrives to further complicate matters.

I’ve had numerous books by Lipman on my tbr over the years, but I’ve never gotten around to reading any of them. I’m gonna fix that! show less

"Isabel's Bed" is a gentle, amusing, character-driven read, filled with kindness and comedy that lifted my spirits. It deals honestly but sympathetically with story of Harriet Mahone, a wannabe writer running for cover from a recently failed twelve year relationship with a man she now sees has always been a jerk.

Although the story is told from Harriet's point of view, she is one of the most ordinary and most passive characters in a novel which is dominated by colourful, larger than life show more people. Yet Harriet does not fade into the background or become just a cypher for observing more interesting people. In a way, the whole book is about her building a more solid understanding of herself and acting upon it-

Harriet takes refuge with Isabel, a woman who's notoriety Harriet is unaware of when she agrees to ghost write her autobiography in exchange for living in Isabel's house for a year.

Isabel is funny and smart and totally overwhelming. The dialogue in the scenes she's in sparkles. I found her extraordinary and yet completely convincing. She is a woman who takes charge of her life and lives by her own rules. She is Harriet's opposite and so finds Harriet novel and intriguing. The friendship that builds between the two woman is drawn with a light touch that gives it credibility and emotional value.

Hattie has a a low simmer, never quite getting to the boil, relationship with Isabel's handy-man/driver which manages to avoid rom-com clichés and serves mostly to help Harriet understand what had been missing in her previous twelve-year-too-long relationship.

I enjoyed the sideways glance into writers and writing that the novel provides. Harriet writes to escape from her life. Being a writer is a transformational fantasy for her. We see that it is not the writing itself that motivates Harriet but the opportunity to been seen as a writer in her local writers' group which sustains her dream by listening with attention and providing encouraging feedback.

Harriet is competent rather than talented at writing. Her first draft of the autobiography is so bland and dull and so NOT Isabel, the Isabel has a go at re-writing the piece "to make it sound more like me". Isabel is a natural raconteur and produces an opening to the the autobiography that is witty, energetic and gives a strong sense of her personality. The contrast between the two pieces is the start of Harriet coming to understand that writing might not be her route to personal fulfillment

The ending of the novel made me smile. It was unexpected yet realistic. One of those things that makes everything click into place so that you say, "that's so true and obvious. How did I not see that coming?" show less