Make a Little Trouble Out There

From the legendary Nora Ephron, her Wellesley commencement speech printed for the first time in book form—an inspiring and delightful challenge for anyone uncertain about what the future holds to “be the heroine of your own life.”

Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there.

In 1996, after a storied career as a journalist and achieving major success as the creative force behind classic movies like Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally..., Nora Ephron returned to her alma mater to give what would become one of the most iconic commencement speeches of the 20th century. As a woman who insisted on charting her own path with all its unexpected twists and turns, she had plenty of hard-won advice to offer. Ephron wants us to welcome the mess, to be unafraid to change our minds, to seize the opportunities when they come. Most importantly, she delivers a powerful call-to-action that feels as necessary now as it did then: never back down from those who seek to disenfranchise you and always stand up for what’s right.

Life is complicated, but if you embrace it, Ephron reminds us, it will always be interesting.