"This was such a fun and entertaining book! I laughed out loud multiple times and I also cringed several times because of how embarrassed I was for Emma.
My only problem with this book is that I felt like it could have been longer! It felt rushed at times and I wished there was more of an ending. I wanted to know how it all came together and like, for example, how Kerry was doing (terribly, I hope).
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to read more of her novels in the future!"

"Every now and then, I need a book that makes me laugh. It became even more imperative when I was wading knee-deep in the philosophical maze in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. Each chapter in this collection of humorous essays served as a refreshing palette cleanser when I needed lighter fare.

This is my first acquaintance with Nora Ephron (1941 �� 2012), an American journalist, writer, and award-winning filmmaker. I was thrilled to learn that she wrote the screenplay for two movies I loved: ‘When Harry Met Sally�� and ‘Sleepless in Seattle.�� I most appreciated these essays for giving me a glimpse of the person behind the writer. Her tone was candid, disarming, and charming.

The thrust of these personal essays is on aging and the indignities women suffer when they are no longer looking their best. The eponymous title story is a grand introduction to a problem any women past their prime will find relatable. ”We all look good for our age. Except for our necks.�� According to Ephron’s dermatologist, ”the neck starts to go at forty-three, and that’s that.�� Oh help!

With self-deprecating good cheer, Ephron regaled us with anecdotes of her life, crises, and challenges. She told us unabashedly about her failed marriages, divorce, and the horrors of parenting. She shared the inspiration behind her first job as a journalist and then as a writer. A chapter I greatly enjoyed, titled ‘Rapture��, extolled the joy of reading. I learned about her most rapture-inducing book, which I must now read. I was amazed at how much honesty there was in these stories and I nodded in appreciation. A hilarious chapter, ‘I Hate My Purse��, sent such a shock of recognition, I promptly re-organized mine.

Below are snippets I enjoyed:
‘I Feel Bad About My Neck��
“Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn’t have to if it had a neck.��

Parenting
“Your adolescent has changed�� And you have changed too. You have changed from a moderately neurotic, fairly cheerful human being to an irritable, crabby, abused wreck.��

“The worrying is forever.��

The Story of My Life in 3,500 Words or Less
“I can’t get over this aspect of journalism. I can’t believe how real life never lets you down. I can’t understand why anyone would write fiction when what actually happens is so amazing.��

What I Wish I’d Known
”Anything you think is wrong with your body at the age of thirty-five you will be nostalgic for at the age of forty-five.��

Considering the Alternative
‘Why do people write books that say it’s better to be older than to be younger? It’s not better.

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman is a fun read. I dare say the gentlemen may like it, too, though I doubt they ever have to worry about their necks. I have to admit, I do."

"Hiaasen is my new favorite "guilty pleasure" author.

So what if you don't learn anything from the books? Or, maybe you do learn things! Like how to outsmart a cocky telemarketer and how not to put all your cash into Beanie Babies for a HUGE payoff later.

So what if he's not Shakespeare? Hell, maybe he is a modern day William! He's pure satire and cynicism. He's hilarious. Brilliant."