Someday This Will Be a Funny Story
The Quotable Nora Ephron
Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor
Pub Date: 10-March-2026
ISBN: 9798217207831
PRICE: $20.00 (USD)
PAGES: 128
Publisher’s Summary:
From “the queen of quips” (The New York Times) comes an inspiring and hilarious quote collection about everything that matters—love and heartbreak, good food and good company, aging well and writing well
We all want a best friend like Nora Ephron: frank but forgiving, wry but caring, someone who knows not only what to say but how to say it.
Don’t know what to wear? “Everything matches black, especially black.”
Trouble in love? “You can never know the truth of anyone’s marriage, including your own.”
Searching for a new belief system? “My religion is Get Over It.”
Here is the best of Nora for every season of life, across her storied career, from her early days in the news media to becoming the author of a cult classic novel, to her unexpected turn as a legendary Hollywood writer. Nora saw it all, and with a wicked sense of humor and shrewd intellect, she made it all deliciously funny. Filled with unforgettable lines, this is a celebration of Nora’s singular wit and generosity—start at the beginning, or flip to any page for instant delight.
Review:
Like other people of a certain age, I was smitten with the romantic comedies of Nora Ephron. She made movies that became iconic (for white women especially). When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, and Sleepless in Seattle. She was essentially responsible for Meg Ryan’s acting career for a while and also made everyone want to own a charming bookshop. Even I forgot that she was also responsible for Silkwood, a dark and suspenseful movie starring Meryl Streep with Cher as her lesbian best friend in a subtle role. She frequently partnered with her sister, Delia, on screenplays including You’ve Got Mail, Bewitched, Hanging Up, and more.
She was one of many women in the 1991 collection, The Quotable Woman: Witty, Poignant, And Insightful Observations From Notable Women, alongside other legends like Dolly Parton. I still keep that book in my bedroom, although it’s buried at the bottom of a drawer because I have one overflowing bookcase.
Then I came across her bestselling memoir, I Feel Bad About My Neck. That’s where I learned about Nora Ephron, the person. If you were already a fan of her romantic comedy movies, then it would come as no surprise that she used her success to live a comfortable, privileged life in Manhattan’s Upper West Side (that’s where You’ve Got Mail is set). She could afford an apartment large enough to have a bathtub for her scented oil bathing ritual. That’s downright luxurious for NYC.
However, Nora Ephron also had the self-deprecation about her appearance that most women have. Maybe the Gen Z’ers are truly body confident, but I doubt it; I think they mask it better. In the new collection of quotes by Knopf, readers get a peek behind the curtain to see how Ephron really felt about marriage/divorce; her outward appearance and style; pets; aging; and of course, her beloved New York City.
I don’t want the late writer to come off as someone oblivious to the world outside of her city sanctuary. She cared very much about wars and women’s equality. She protested at some point. She chose to show female characters who could survive, whether it was low-paid workers at a nuclear facility getting poisoned daily, or a small business owner being crushed by a massive global corporation.
This book of quotes was collected using primary sources by Nora Ephron including her works: I Remember Nothing; I Feel Bad About My Neck; Heartburn; Wallflower at the Orgy; Crazy Salad and Scribble Scribble; The Most of Nora Ephron.
The rules for reviewing generally have a caveat that one should not quote directly since the advanced reader copies are still subject to editing. But…this is a book of quotes. I would hope that Knopf publishing would forgive me for including some hits—or, bangers, as the kids say (I can’t get away with that). I created these in Canva and they do not represent the presentation of the book.
Summary:
Books of quotes make a great gift and this is no exception. Mother’s Day is approaching (wink, wink). I do think that Ephron’s life has the kind of privilege that might turn some people off. Nonetheless, she was a hardworking writer with many credits to her name for movies, essays, and theater. This book kicks off with a chapter of quotes on writing. If you have a writer in your life, this book is a perfect gift.
It could be more inclusive regarding women of other classes, races, and the queer spectrum; however, these words come from a white woman born in 1941 who had the talent and success many of us only dream about.
Rating: 4 stars
This review is made possible by the publisher and NetGalley. Affiliate links are used in this post.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.