I Remember Nothing

 After reading something as heavy as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, I picked up Nora Ephron's I Remember Nothing. I loved it. I finished it in a day. There were so many things that I liked about it that I kept stopping and making notes for what I wanted to mention. 

1. First off, I liked that it was such a light read. I always have to have a book on my bedside table, and sometimes it's nice to have one that I can just breeze through. I Remember Nothing is just a collection of Nora Ephron's reflections and each one was it's own separate story. 

2. I liked the history of it. I firmly believe that I was born at the wrong time, and I should have been living in the 1940's, 50's, and even the 60's. Nora talks about meeting Eleanor Roosevelt and references Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Tippi Hedren, Casablanca, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and The Ed Sullivan Show. I loved that.

3. I liked that it was relatable. There is a whole chapter about forgetting someones name, and that awkward moment when you have to introduce them to someone else. She talks about the cowlick on the back of her head, and the fact that she has to google everything. The things that she talks about are things that I relate to, things my mother could relate to, and things my grandmother good relate to. And the best part is, she does it with humor.

4. I liked that it made me think. I am the girl that always has a journal. I think my dad bought me my first one when I was eight years old, and I have been keeping one ever since. When Nora talks about all the things from her youth that she has forgotten, it made me think about all the things that I write about. It made me think about the kind of things that I am going to want to remember and the things that are not going to matter in the long run. 

5. I liked her reflection on Journalism. As a journalism major, I loved reading about her early experiences as a journalist, and what made her want to do it in the first place. She also gave advice, like "Never begin a story with a quote", "Never use anything but 'said'", and "Never put something you really care about into the last paragraph because it will undoubtedly be cut for space". Great advice.

6. It made me cry. At the very end of the book, Nora Ephron reflects upon the things that she will and will not miss when she dies. They are simple lists, but they made me cry. It made me think about the little things that you take for granted, and she showed me to appreciate life while you are living it.  So, yes, I loved this book. I definitely recommend you pick it up, and gaurantee you'll finish it the same day.