Celebrating Nora

Reading makes me feel I've accomplished something, learned something, become a better person.

Reading is bliss.
— Nora Ephron

Just back from the 6.30am school run. After the rollercoaster of the last few months, I'm making a big effort to return to 'glass half full' thinking. The two hours a day spent on the road here could be seen as a nerve-shredding daily dice with death, but I prefer to think of it as an extended advanced defensive driving course. 'You think this is bad? You should try driving in Cairo/Bombay' or wherever the person speaking originates from is a regular refrain. No thanks - this is good, this is about as much as I want to handle. 


And now the news that Nora Ephron died last night. Enough already. I reached for my filing cabinet to find an article I'd ripped out years ago about her (and then remembered that the filing cabinet is in storage, in Hampshire, half a world away). It was illustrated by this picture - which I loved. She looked bright, and elegant, and fun (the apple, the etching of a duck). She looked how you hoped the writer of 'Heartburn' and 'When Harry Met Sally' would look - like someone you would love to spend a long lunch with, someone you'd love to get to know.


The name 'Nora Ephron' is like a hallmark - a stamp of quality. I don't read a lot of film scripts, but I bought WHMS because I wanted to see how she did it. It's a masterclass - whether you write novels or poems, plays or films, go read it as a tribute to Nora and her extraordinary skill. Her work resonated with so many people because it rang true - she said what we are all thinking elegantly, truthfully, humorously. I remember looking at today's photo after reading the interview with her, and thinking 'yes, I'll have what she's having'.


TODAY'S PROMPT: 'Reading Is Bliss'. Go, read Nora. Read 'Heartburn', read her essays, read her scripts. Enjoy these bookish moments on Huff Po. There is no better training for writing well than reading the best material you can lay your hands on. And Nora was a master. RIP.