June 29, 2012

Nora Ephron Remembered: Fun Facts Friday

I was so sad to hear that Nora Ephron passed away this week at the age of 71. The same day, unaware of the news, I listed Nora Ephron as my dream director for the movie version of Depression Cookies in the post, Oprah Winfrey and Roger Ebert: Dreaming About Depression Cookies.
From Wikipedia

Although I loved her movies, I realized I knew very little about her. So today I'm dedicating my Fun Facts Fridays to Nora Ephron.

Born in 1941, she was a was an American filmmaker, director, producer, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, journalist, author, and blogger. She was best known for her romantic comedies, including Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, Julie and Julia, and You've Got Mail.

Interesting Facts

* She briefly interned for John F. Kennedy.
* She worked in the mailroom of Newsweek.
* Her first novel, Heartburn, inspired by the end of her second marriage, became a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep.
* She wrote a regular blog for the Huffington Post.

My Favorite Ephron Quotes

“I am continually fascinated at the difficulty intelligent people have in distinguishing what is controversial from what is merely offensive.”

“I try to w
rite parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are.”


“Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I've accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it's a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it's a way of making contact with someone else's imagination after a day that's all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.”

“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women.”

What comes to mind when you think of Nora Ephron?

4 comments:

Beth Kozan said...

I am sure Nora Ephron wrote a small book about Menopause, or Peri-menopause, but I can't find it in her many bios since her death. In that book she talked about the body changes they DON'T tell us about: your underarm hair moves to your chin; your leg hairs move to become two 2inch-long hairs on the back of your thigh; your aureola loses pigmentation and turns three shades lighter. Those are just for starters.

Unknown said...

Loved this, Tia! I, too, wanted to dream of basking in the glory of Nora's approval. Thank goodness Nora was with us, even tho for a brief time! She gave us all wings.

Winnie said...

What a great woman. My mom has read all her books and I have read some. I am sad about my neck too and I am turning 46.. Love her movies, as 3 of them are in my top 5. May she rest in peace.

Tia Bach said...

Nora rocks! I want to pay my respects by reading some of her essays and watching some of my favorite Ephron movies!