I Feel Bad about My Neck / Nora Ephron / 137 p.

The subtitle of this book was "and other thoughts on being a woman" so it probably will appeal largely to the female gender. It proved to be a great airport read, helping the time fly by (hah!), as I read her witty chapters. These chapters include the one taking after the title, as well as others such as "I Hate my Purse," "On Maintenance," "Moving on," "What I Wish I'd Known," and "Considering the Alternative."

As someone who has catapulted over the big 4-0 and beyond, I identified with many of her observations on aging, but this book could appeal to any generation. For example, here are two classics:

• "Oh, how I regret not having worn a bikini for the entire year I was twenty-six. If anyone young is reading this, go right this minute, put on a bikini, and don't take it off until you're thirty-four."

• "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."

I've had occasion to think of this book at odd moments. The latest incident was my purchasing of yet another cutsie, too-small purse. Once I arrived home, I unsuccessfully tried to cram all my stuff in it as if I'm trying to fit into skinny jeans from high school. It's just not going to work and I've decided the better part of wisdom is to give up and embrace my big purse lifestyle.

On the plane back, I finished the book, expecting her last chapter of "Consider the Alternative" to be in the same light and humorous tone as her other chapters. However, she turned her penetrating eye toward the "D-word" and mused on the nearness of death as you age--"Death is a sniper. It strikes people you love..." The end of the book induced a contemplative mood that was quite a contrast from the light beginning. I'd highly recommend this book and she definitely has made my list of authors whose writings I want to read more of, whether in the airport or not.

MERLIN, DBRL, Amazon