Nora Ephron, 1941-2012

Apart from the various ways her artistic genius displayed itself, Nora Ephron was brilliant with people and brilliant with New York City. One small way: she was always terribly kind to kiddo reporters, reasonable in a former New York Post reporter, and as a family member to yet more reporters. No matter how stupid the story, you could email her and she’d write back — Oh hello, I’m in Greece (or Italy or on a boat or en route to Los Angeles or just plain “traveling”) but let me think about this marvelous idea and get back to you just as soon as I can, and she did. And here is something germane about that, from 1980.