The Fran Lebowitz Reader

Fran Lebowitz is a New York legend. Arriving in the city over fifty years ago, she made her name as a columnist in Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, before publishing two bestselling collections of essays. She’s one of America’s most insightful social commentators, a sought-after public speaker, a style icon, wit and flaneur.

In these essays, Lebowitz turns her trademark caustic wit to everything from children (‘rarely in the position to lend one a truly interesting sum of money’), to novelty ice cubes (‘flowers belong in one’s lapel, not in one’s bourbon’) and landlords (‘it is the solemn duty of every landlord to maintain an adequate supply of roaches’). And her attitude to work is the perfect antidote to our exhausting culture of self-betterment (‘3.40pm. I consider getting out of bed. I reject the notion as being unduly vigorous. I read and smoke a bit more’).

‘Great people talk about ideas, average people talk about things and small people talk about wine’

‘Think before you speak. Read before you think’

‘All God’s children are not beautiful. Most of God’s children are, in fact, barely presentable.’

‘If your sexual fantasies were truly of interest to others, they would no longer be fantasies.’