NONFICTION

Nora Ephron at the Movies: A Visual Celebration of the Writer and Director Behind When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and More

Abrams. Oct. 2024. 224p. ISBN 9781419763632. $50. FILM
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Though Nora Ephron’s crown, as “queen of romantic comedy,” is permanently affixed, culture writer Kaplan contends in her first book that comforting romances and witty quips are just the surface of the appeal of Ephron’s movies and that her cinematic legacy encompasses more than her famous rom-coms. In lavishly illustrated chapters, Kaplan probes into the stories behind and within each of Ephron’s films—including early scripts for Silkwood and Heartburn; big hits, such as When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle; and lesser-known efforts like My Blue Heaven and Cookie—as well as touching on her plays and books. She even examines Ephron’s posthumous popularity on social media, where quotes and clips from her films are regularly reposted. This book is an astute look at Ephron’s successes and failures throughout her career and the themes and issues that reverberate throughout her work.
VERDICT A solid pick for public libraries. Devotees of Ephron will find this volume delightful to delve into, while casual cinephiles will enjoy it as a thoughtful analysis of an influential writer-director and her various legacies.
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