In the stories that compriseForeign Brides, women (and men) cope with marriage across cultures in London, New York, and a constellation of European and Israeli cities. Transplanted from one country to another, women like Israeli Nora, Russian Vera, and German Paula settle into lives of persistently unfamiliar if not utterly strange routines, lives that are stirred up from time to time with a very crooked stick. With perfect pitch and a poker face, Lappin has composed these insidiously funny tales about love and survival in an international no-man's land of marriage. Elena Lappinwas born in Moscow and grew up in Prague and Hamburg. She has edited two anthologies of European writing in English translation and was editor of theJewish Quarterly. She lives with her husband and three children in London. In the stories that compriseForeign Brides, women (and men) cope with marriage across cultures in London, New York, and a constellation of European and Israeli cities. Transplanted from one country to another, women like Israeli Nora, Russian Vera, and German Paula settle into lives of persistently unfamiliar if not utterly strange routines, lives that are stirred up from time to time with a very crooked stick.

With perfect pitch and a poker face, Lappin has composed these insidiously funny tales about love and survival in an international no-man's land of marriage. "These sharp, wry stories about life in exile form a memorable portrait of cultural alienation."The New Yorker "Told with a startled, bemused, and naive wonder, the stories [in this collection] feel almost like parables. Certainly they have much to teach about the world's sweet strangeness and how to savor it."The Boston Globe "Memorable . [Foreign Brides] marks the arrival of an urbane and engaging talent."Stephen Amidon,The New York Times Book Review "Immensely enjoyable . Reading Elena Lappin's stories is like entering a sophisticated party.

"The Hungry Mind Review.