Brilliant--I wish I could be Mary's best friend. This woman is my hero. She has had an amazing life and I felt like I was sitting across from her, drinking coffee and alternatively hearing great stories about the inner workings of The New Yorker and then learning about all the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other writing conundrums that I've always been scared to admit I don't fully understand. I was laughing and taking notes on usage and style, all within the same page.

Though she built her career on being able to blend in and help other writers become as perfect as possible--pay no attention to the woman behind the No. 1 pencil--Mary has an extremely vivid and distinct voice all her own. Whether you work in some facet of the publishing business, or if you're a writer, or even just a general reader, this is an interesting blend of memoir and writing/reference that has a little something for everyone.