Brett, Lily: *1946

You Gotta Have Balls, 2006 - Information about the Book

General Information | Facts | Reviews | Interviews with Author

General Information
- Edek moves to New York and, with Zofia and Walentyna, two Polish women, sets up a meatball restaurant named You Gotta Have Balls that becomes a successful enterprise.
- Information from Wikipedia
Facts
- The title is a play on the idiomatic expression "to have balls", which means to have courage or bravery. The phrase is considered vulgar slang and impolite by some, though it has lost much of its anatomical meaning and is sometimes used to refer to women as well as men. While the phrase is commonly used in informal conversation, it would be inappropriate in formal writing or with children. Some suggest using synonyms like "courage" or "strength" instead.
  For Liily Brett there is no sexual allusion in the title; for her courage is what she wants to express.
- Awards: The novel has not won any major literary awards.
  Developed by Perplexity AI
- Characters
  Ruth Rothwax: The protagonist, a successful letter-writing business owner in New York City. She is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. Ruth is smart, neurotic, and obsessive.
  Edek: Ruth's 87-year-old father, a Holocaust survivor who moves to New York and, with two Polish women, opens a successful meatball restaurant called "You Gotta Have Balls". He has difficulty expressing himself in English.
  
  Zofia: A 69-year-old Polish woman who wins a green card and moves to New York to help Edek run the meatball restaurant. She is described as a "buxom, sixty-something femme fatale" who has a talent for making meatballs.
  
  Walentyna: Another Polish woman who wins a green card and moves to New York to work at the meatball restaurant with Edek and Zofia.
  Developed by Perplexity AI
- General Perception
  
  Reviewers frequently praise the novel's blend of humor and heart, noting that Brett's writing manages to be both funny and touching. The eccentric characters and their interactions provide much of the book's charm.
  Lily Brett's writing style is noted for its simplicity and clarity, making the novel accessible and enjoyable. Her ability to weave serious themes with light-hearted storytelling is a frequently cited strength.
  
  While generally well-received, some critics mention that the plot can be somewhat predictable. A few reviews suggest that the novel's pacing could be uneven at times.
  
  Overall, "You Gotta Have Balls" is regarded as a delightful and thought-provoking read, particularly appealing to those interested in stories about family, heritage, and the immigrant experience.
  
  Developed by ChatGPT AI
- Reader Rating:
Reviews
- Review: "This is a quick, fun read." Miram Braman Abrahams, Jewish Book Council. December 19, 2011
- Review: "Brett herself travels a brave road to joy, instead of the tracks of despair, which is not an easy path for a born worrier." Helen Greenwood, The Sidney Morning Herald; November 5, 2005
Interviews with Author
- Interviews Lily Brett gave at an evening in Zurich. SwissEduc; November 8, 2006
  Host: Bettina Spoerri
  
  Host: Hans Fischer
- Lily Brett talks about (excerpts from the above talks)
  - writing her novel.
  - the joy of writing a funny novel gives.
  - the help her way of writing gives her.
  - Ruth.
  - Ruth and Sofia.
  - Edek.
  - her characters in general.
  - the recipes at the end of the novel.
  - the title in general.
  - the sexual connotation of the title.
  - her father and his relation to Edek.