Nora Ephron famously claimed that she wrote about every thought that ever crossed her mind, from her divorce from Carl Bernstein (Heartburn) to the size of her breasts (“A Few Words About Breasts”). She also wrote screenplays for three of the most successful contemporary romantic comedies—When Harry Met Sally (1989), Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and You’ve Got Mail (1998). Often considered mere light-hearted romantic comedies, her screenwriting has not been the subject of serious study. This book offers a sustained critical analysis of her work and life and demonstrates that Ephron is no lightweight. The complexity of her work is explored through the context of her childhood in a deeply dysfunctional family of writers.

Liz Dance lives and works in Melbourne, Australia.

Liz Dance
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 196
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2015
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9674-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1929-3
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments vi

Preface 1

Introduction: “Everything Is Copy” 3

1. Phoebe and Henry 13

2. This Is My Life 45

3. “Recipes from other people’s cookbooks” 75

4. Life Is a Story 102

5. Julie and Julia 130

Conclusion: The Ephron Modus Operandi 155

Chapter Notes 165

Bibliography 176

Index 185