{"product_id":"loose-diamonds-and-other-things-ive-lost-and-found-along-the-way-isbn-9780061958748","title":"Loose Diamonds: …and other things I've lost (and found) along the way","description":"In \u003cem\u003eLoose Diamonds\u003c\/em\u003e, an engaging collection of essays and observations, Amy Ephron, the acclaimed, award-winning author of the \u003cem\u003eOne Sunday Morning \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e A Cup of Tea\u003c\/em\u003e, paints a rich, vivid, and comic portrait of modern living from a modern woman’s perspective. Fans of the writings of Amy Sedaris and Joan Didion’s \u003cem\u003eSlouching Toward Bethlehem\u003c\/em\u003e will enjoy Ephron’s funny, incisive take on the intricate weave of a woman’s world.\u003cbr\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“I’ve never bought loose diamonds but the idea of them appeals to me, sparkling stones that I imagine come wrapped in a velvet cloth . . . ”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith her wonderful sense of humor, marvelously candid voice, and astonishing perception, Amy Ephron weaves together the most insightful, profound, and \u003cem\u003ejust plain funny\u003c\/em\u003e stories of her life to form a tapestry of a woman’s experiences from childhood through young adulthood, marriage, divorce (and remarriage), and everything in between. Writing with great honesty and exacting prose, Ephron gives us an evocative, engaging, and often piercing look at modern life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlong the way, we meet colorful and unforgettable characters such as the Birdman, who invited Ephron when she was a young girl into his Spanish-style home that he’d magically turned into an exotic aviary. And there’s Honey, the Cristal-loving Southern beauty, who struggles in her affairs with men and who orders “champagne by the case.” Ephron also recounts the afternoon she spent with the infamous Squeaky Fromme, and describes what happened after one of the mothers at her son’s school rear-ended her car. Did it have anything to do with Ephron’s soon-to-be ex-husband? And through it all is Ephron’s mother, whose perspectives on everything—from shoes to egg cups—pervade this book, and whose alcoholism was a constant challenge, forcing Ephron out on her own at an early age. Finally, Ephron professes her lifelong love affair with Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, a touchstone and a companion in a world that always moves too fast and is sometimes upside down. It is an ode to a simpler time of elegance and style, and an incisive look at today’s times.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThroughout \u003cem\u003eLoose Diamonds\u003c\/em\u003e, Amy Ephron celebrates these memories and her friendships, as well as her romances and marriages, and the things that make life livable (such as her Filofax, which she would be lost without). She writes unflinchingly about the fragility and tenuousness of life, how fortune can turn on a dime and circumstances aren’t always in our control. She explores the enduring effects of parental wisdom, the complications and rewards that marriage can bring, and the intricate ups and downs of friendships—all with a quick wit and a delicate eye. \u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“A fun and engaging read... the pages turn themselves...Not only do the essays stand up on their own, the overarching themes unravel - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJulia Gazdag, Hello Giggles\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“All of these fascinating experiences and relationships described in Loose Diamonds add to the richness of this loosely woven set of essays. Ms. Ephron’s thoughts on marriage, divorce as well as her ‘Tips for Women getting a Divorce’ are written with wit and panache.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLaura Shultz, New York Journal of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Actively intelligent and utterly descriptive, Amy Ephron always makes you feel as if you’re right there with her feeling what she’s feeling and seeing what she’s seeing… Loose Diamonds is a sincerely-written book…that you shouldn’t miss.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookRoom Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Well-written, empathetic, and a joy.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookLoons Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Readers will enjoy her poignant accessibility... this is a great women’s-interest title, appealing to lovers of Ephron’s historical fiction and to fans of humorous essays alike.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAnnie Bostrom, Booklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In Loose Diamonds, Ephron offers a deeply honest and compelling look at the events that made her the woman she is today.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Daily Beast\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Must read ... goes back to her Los Angeles childhood and goes through her marriage, divorce, and remarriage.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMorgan Murrell, Harper's Bazaar\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A little gem... she is an expert at introspection as entertainment...the collection masters brevity and range.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eClaire Howorth, The Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A bit like Woolf….shrewd and wry.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A jewel of a book.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eReader's Digest\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An elegant  fable . . . a charming package, a smooth blend of period romance and contemporary wisdom.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMiami Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This is Edith Wharton territory . . . Ephron has a fine eye for opulence, sketching the book’s grand public spaces with just a few brushstrokes.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A frothy, lighthearted, often witty collection of essays about marriage, motherhood and the power of a good piece of jewelry.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The tales are variously charming, funny, poignant, and even hair-raising, as when [Ephron] finds herself spending an afternoon with Manson family alumna Squeaky Fromme.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJewish Journal of Los Angeles\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"William Morrow","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44890390823141,"sku":"NP9780061958748","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780061958748.jpg?v=1730233175","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/loose-diamonds-and-other-things-ive-lost-and-found-along-the-way-isbn-9780061958748","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}