Elinor Lipman is an American novelist. She's a witty, stylish writer. Her books are light on plot, heavy on character. But it's not 'chick lit'. There are no bizarrely confident twentysomethings with glamorous jobs shagging their way to the top. There are no shark-like megalomaniacs, ditsy blondes or crumbling ancestral piles. Instead there are 'normal' people who just happen to be very funny, or going through strange times.
The key element of her writing, for me, is the lightness of touch. Her eye is remorseless in its search for telling detail, but her authorial attitude is non-judgmental. She lets actions speak for themselves. The more writing I do the more I admire her skill. So her books become both carrot and stick for the junior scribbler. My recommendations? My faves so far are 'Dearly Departed' and 'The Family Man'.
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again i know nothing of who you write - how can i be so poorly educated when we were so near each other at school. i suspect it is the influence of your wonderful parent and your innate literrarryishness. pah - will have to borrow one once i've read some other novel someone i know is penning!
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