Nora Ephron was one of the most iconic authors and screenwriters of the twentieth century, responsible for beloved classics like When Harry Met Sally and Silkwood.
She was also a director, playwright, and journalist whose essays and articles have been saved in award-winning collections on feminism, culture, and politics. In this post, we’ve rounded up the best of this talented writer’s work for all readers to enjoy.
Best Nora Ephron Books
Below are 9 Nora Ephron novels, nonfiction books, and collections of essays that showcase the best of this iconic writer.
1. I Feel Bad About My Neck
Fans of Nora Ephron’s novels and screenplays will love her candid essays that reflect on her own ups and downs, including menopause, maintenance, and empty nesting.
With her characteristic dry humor and accessible voice, Roberts’ reflections on life as a woman of a certain age are both hilarious and relatable.
2. Heartburn
This humor-filled novel chronicles the breakup of the perfect marriage—adultery, revenge, therapy, and all.
At seven months pregnant, cookbook author Rachel Samstat discovers that her husband, Mark, is in love with another woman. In her despair, and in between trying to win Mark back and wishing him dead, Rachel turns to food for comfort, which leads her to some of her best recipes.
3. When Harry Met Sally
Though technically a screenplay published as a book, Ephron’s iconic romantic comedy captures the frustrating, awful, and funny search for love and happiness in New York.
The story of When Harry Met Sally is as hilarious on the page as it is on the screen, and this version includes an introduction Ephron herself.
4. I Remember Nothing
Published in 2010 when Ephron was 69, this collection shows the author at her funniest and wisest as she looks back on the many changes of modern life.
From her first job in the mailroom at Newsweek to the advent of email, from memories of her parents’ whirlwind dinner parties to her own life now full of Senior Moments, from career flops to smash successes, Ephron recalls more than the title suggests.
5. Imaginary Friends
Writers Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy were legendary enemies in the literary world, and their public battles and legal feuds were a springboard for Ephron’s wickedly funny novel that imagines a post-mortem second chance for the two to really air their differences.
In Imaginary Friends, Nora Ephron hilariously resuscitates the feud of two larger-than-life women who died in the early 1900s.
6. Wallflower at the Orgy
Published in 1970, Wallflower at the Orgy is a collection of magazine articles that offer a hilarious, provocative, and revealing look at America’s passions, pastimes, and shortcomings.
From tracking down the beginnings of the self-help movement to an iconic movie in the making, Ephron uses her journalistic skill to tap into and reveal our obsessions with celebrity, food, romance, clothes, entertainment, and sex.
7. Crazy Salad and Scribble Scribble
These two classic collections of Nora Ephron’s essays—”Crazy Salad: Some Things About Women” and “Scribble Scribble: Notes on the Media” tackle everything from feminism to politics and beauty products with her distinctive charm and wit.
Ephron writes on people and events that have shaped the way we live now, from Watergate to the Pillsbury Bake-Off.
8. The Most of Nora Ephron
Each essay in this fabulous collection reveals a little piece of Nora Ephron and her perspective on herself, life, and the world.
Many of these essays were written in the 1970s, so while they may seem a bit dated to the modern reader, they do offer a fascinating slice of an era full of change.
9. Nora Ephron: The Last Interview and Other Conversations
This collection of interviews dives into the Ephron’s early years as a journalist, but it includes her final interview, a tear-jerking piece originally published in the Believer magazine.
This is a must-read for Nora Ephron fans, who will laugh and cry along through this revealing and insightful look at one of America’s most beloved screenwriters.
How Old Was Nora Ephron When She Died?
Sadly, Nora Ephron died at the age of 71. In 2012 she suffered pneumonia as a complication of leukemia. She had been diagnosed with myelodysplasia in 2006.
Ephron’s Work on the Big Screen
Several of Ephron’s screenplays became some of the most celebrated films of the twentieth century, including When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail.
For more reads on love, feminism, and life, check out our list of funny books for women, which also features work by Nora Ephron.
Do you have a favorite Nora Ephron book? Share it with us in the comments below!
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As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
