Wallflower at the Orgy

Wallflower at the Orgy by Nora Ephron, 187 pages

In Wallflower at the Orgy, Ephron presents a collection of her long-format magazine articles that were originally published in the late 1960s. While there were plenty of hard-news subjects to focus on in that era, Ephron's articles have a softer focus, looking at the fashion, food, film, and cosmetics that were defining characteristics of the late '60s. From discussing the competitive (and small) world of cookbooks to relating her experience getting a Cosmopolitan makeover, Ephron offers up some great articles in this collection. I particularly enjoyed her profiles of Helen Gurley Brown and the late Mike Nichols, though the whole book was enjoyable. A fun read!

(Note: The title of this collection refers to a phrase Ephron uses to describe her journalistic style in the introduction rather than the headline of one of her articles. No orgies make an appearance in this particular book, thus making it safe for conversations with your Aunt Gladys during the holidays.)