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Review: "I Remember Nothing" By Nora Ephron

Jessica Donath |
January 5, 2011 | 8:40 a.m. PST

Books Editor

 

(Jessica Donath)
(Jessica Donath)
Nora Ephron's newest book “I Remember Nothing” deals with a topic no one likes to talk about. In 23 essays and lists the screen writer, journalist and movie director muses about the funny and not so funny aspects of getting old – a phenomenon everybody has to deal with sooner or later. 

“I really don´t like talking about who got sick and who was misdiagnosed all the time,” the author said at a Writer's Bloc event in November 2010.

And while some of the individual chapters deal with disease and catastrophe -- in one Ephron describes the first disastrous Christmas party after a beloved friend had passed -- they all burst at the seems from defiance.

Ephron seems aware of her reputation as a comedic author she attained with “I Feel Bad About My Neck,” the first book about the topic of old age. Luckily for readers who are not familiar with its predecessor, “I Remember Nothing” is funny and accessible without in-depths familiarity with the book that came before it.  

Some of the short pieces have previously been published in the "Huffington Post" where Ephron writes about divorce. For Ephron, “divorced” is one of the adjectives that most precisely describes a person – even after they remarry.

So it is understandable that she devotes quite a few pages to the topic of divorce and marital relationships. Not every (younger) reader who just fell head-over-heels for someone will be able to relate to this level of the book and may find it hard to connect. 

But most of the light hearted reflections should offer even fans of the multi-talented Ephron new insights into the authors thinking.

In the chapter titled “the six stages of e-mail,” the “You've got mail” director explains why her affection for the electronic letter has turned into disgust and hatred. Stage four: “Help! I'm drowning. I have 112 unanswered e-mails. I'm a writer – imagine how many unanswered e-mails I would have if I had a real job.” Sadly, not all of the essays and lists are as funny and to-the-point. 

Her past as a journalist takes center stage in the chapter aptly titled “Journalism: a love story.” Ephron started out in the mail room of “Newsweek” and later honed her skills at the “New York Post.” Over the course of 16 enthusiastically written pages, Ephron celebrates journalism and writing. Her books shows that she still celebrates those talents, even at the age of 69. 

To reach books editor Jessica Donath, click here. 

 



 

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