So funny, so witty, is that Ms. Maira Kalman. In case you might not have noticed, she likes to change what she does a lot, even within one piece of work, just so she doesn’t get bored. After a brief background of her Elements of Style book, she walks us, blissfully, through her book The Principles of Uncertainty, which was originally a blog for TimesSelect (on seeing her work online: “If only every book could come backlit”). And, like Style, Principles is also being made into an opera, which opens next week (and may involve contratenors, boots and goats) Our four favorite things she said:

“I’m admitting I’m manic depressive on stage, which I’m assuming anyone who does anything is.”

“How horrible is February, right?”

“There was zero peace in my childhood home, but the cake was mocha cream cake.”

“I want to be a maid for the Dutchess of Devonshire and handle her chicken eggs.”

Isn’t she precious?

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