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The Portable Dorothy Parker
The second revision in sixty years, this sublime collection ranges over the verse, stories, essays, and journalism of one of the twentieth century's most quotable authors.
For this new twenty-first-century edition, devoted admirers can be sure to find their favorite verse and stories. But a variety of fresh material has also been added to create a fuller, more authentic picture of her life's work. There are some stories new to the Portable, "Such a Pretty Little Picture," along with a selection of articles written for such disparate publications as Vogue, McCall's, House & Garden, and New Masses. Two of these pieces concern home decorating, a subject not usually associated with Mrs. Parker. At the heart of her serious work lies her political writings—racial, labor, international—and so "Soldiers of the Republic" is joined by reprints of "Not Enough" and "Sophisticated Poetry—And the Hell With It," both of which first appeared in New Masses. "A Dorothy Parker Sampler" blends the sublime and the silly with the terrifying, a sort of tasting menu of verse, stories, essays, political journalism, a speech on writing, plus a catchy off-the-cuff rhyme she never thought to write down.
The introduction of two new sections is intended to provide the richest possible sense of Parker herself. "Self-Portrait" reprints an interview she did in 1956 with The Paris Review, part of a famed ongoing series of conversations ("Writers at Work") that the literary journal conducted with the best of twentieth-century writers. What makes the interviews so interesting is that they were permitted to edit their transcripts before publication, resulting in miniature autobiographies.
"Letters: 1905-1962," which might be subtitled "Mrs. Parker Completely Uncensored," presents correspondence written over the period of a half century, beginning in 1905 when twelve-year-old Dottie wrote her father during a summer vacation on Long Island, and concluding with a 1962 missive from Hollywood describing her fondness for Marilyn Monroe.
A Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition with French flaps, rough front, and luxurious packaging. Features an introduction from Marion Meade and cover illustrations by renowned graphic artist Seth, creator of the comic series Palooka-ville.
For this new twenty-first-century edition, devoted admirers can be sure to find their favorite verse and stories. But a variety of fresh material has also been added to create a fuller, more authentic picture of her life's work. There are some stories new to the Portable, "Such a Pretty Little Picture," along with a selection of articles written for such disparate publications as Vogue, McCall's, House & Garden, and New Masses. Two of these pieces concern home decorating, a subject not usually associated with Mrs. Parker. At the heart of her serious work lies her political writings—racial, labor, international—and so "Soldiers of the Republic" is joined by reprints of "Not Enough" and "Sophisticated Poetry—And the Hell With It," both of which first appeared in New Masses. "A Dorothy Parker Sampler" blends the sublime and the silly with the terrifying, a sort of tasting menu of verse, stories, essays, political journalism, a speech on writing, plus a catchy off-the-cuff rhyme she never thought to write down.
The introduction of two new sections is intended to provide the richest possible sense of Parker herself. "Self-Portrait" reprints an interview she did in 1956 with The Paris Review, part of a famed ongoing series of conversations ("Writers at Work") that the literary journal conducted with the best of twentieth-century writers. What makes the interviews so interesting is that they were permitted to edit their transcripts before publication, resulting in miniature autobiographies.
"Letters: 1905-1962," which might be subtitled "Mrs. Parker Completely Uncensored," presents correspondence written over the period of a half century, beginning in 1905 when twelve-year-old Dottie wrote her father during a summer vacation on Long Island, and concluding with a 1962 missive from Hollywood describing her fondness for Marilyn Monroe.
A Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition with French flaps, rough front, and luxurious packaging. Features an introduction from Marion Meade and cover illustrations by renowned graphic artist Seth, creator of the comic series Palooka-ville.
626 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1944
About the author
Dorothy Parker
286 books1,932 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Dorothy Parker was an American writer, poet and critic best known for her caustic wit, wisecracks, and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles. From a conflicted and unhappy childhood, Parker rose to acclaim, both for her literary output in such venues as The New Yorker and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. Following the breakup of the circle, Parker traveled to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting. Her successes there, including two Academy Award nominations, were curtailed as her involvement in left-wing politics led to a place on the Hollywood blacklist.
Dismissive of her own talents, she deplored her reputation as a "wisecracker." Nevertheless, her literary output and reputation for her sharp wit have endured.
Dorothy Parker was an American writer, poet and critic best known for her caustic wit, wisecracks, and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles. From a conflicted and unhappy childhood, Parker rose to acclaim, both for her literary output in such venues as The New Yorker and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. Following the breakup of the circle, Parker traveled to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting. Her successes there, including two Academy Award nominations, were curtailed as her involvement in left-wing politics led to a place on the Hollywood blacklist.
Dismissive of her own talents, she deplored her reputation as a "wisecracker." Nevertheless, her literary output and reputation for her sharp wit have endured.
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February 13, 2018
Dorothy Parker, renowned wit, critic, poet and short-story writer. Take note of that order.
Picasso once said of Cézanne that he was 'the father of us all'. Well, in similar terms, Dorothy Parker is my biological mother. Which makes me Picasso I guess, which I'll take.
Parker's book reviews are the finest of the form. She was truly the queen of mean. As 'The Constant Reader' she praised and demolished the latest novels with such wit and grace that oftentimes the review was better than the work is discussed. She often filled her reviews with stories of her personal life or stray observations on society. Despite dying in 1967, her vicious tongue has never been equalled. I view Dorothy Parker as my greatest influence. As many people light candles in front of the Sacred Heart, I follow a similar regime with Parker, muttering incantations in front of her image and never gazing too long into her eyes.
Thus The Portable Dorothy Parker is a volume which I believed would be a fitting replacement for the Holy Book. Which it somewhat is. In that it only gets really good near the end and you spend most of your time skipping over the bad bits.
You see The Portable Dorothy Parker would be better titled The Short Stories of Dorothy Parker, interspersed by her Poetry with a paltry sampling of her Criticism, Reviews, Letters and Interviews.
I am first to admit that I am not a huge fan of Parker's short stories. Don't get me wrong, she had many wonderful stories: Big Blonde, Arrangement in Black and White, The Waltz, From the Diary of a New York Lady and The Game are some shining examples. But almost five-hundred pages of this six-hundred page volume are dedicated to her stories, many of which are just not good. There's a reason why we don't immediately think 'short story writer' when we hear Parker's name.
I feel the term 'hit and miss' was coined specifically for her short fiction. Those that hit are blinding critiques of early-20th century society, full of one-liners and characters which are equally as devastating. The misses are unreadable. Nothing much being written about nothing much. Therefore at time this volume is an absolute pain to get through, whilst at other times you want to rip each page out and frame them along a staircase.
Most of my praise for this volume comes from the measly hundred pages dedicated to her non-fiction. This is where Parker Comes Alive! Such glittering meanness from the mouth of the poison Madonna. It depresses me so much. I'll never be her. The best I can do is plagiarise, which has served me quite well for many years. Sometime during my twenties I'll probably get a Dorothy Parker quote tattooed onto my skin, right next to my stigmata.
Overall The Portable Dorothy Parker is a somewhat skewed collection of her finest writings. There is absolute gold in here, but one must sift through the mud first. Perhaps it is one for the fans.
Picasso once said of Cézanne that he was 'the father of us all'. Well, in similar terms, Dorothy Parker is my biological mother. Which makes me Picasso I guess, which I'll take.
Parker's book reviews are the finest of the form. She was truly the queen of mean. As 'The Constant Reader' she praised and demolished the latest novels with such wit and grace that oftentimes the review was better than the work is discussed. She often filled her reviews with stories of her personal life or stray observations on society. Despite dying in 1967, her vicious tongue has never been equalled. I view Dorothy Parker as my greatest influence. As many people light candles in front of the Sacred Heart, I follow a similar regime with Parker, muttering incantations in front of her image and never gazing too long into her eyes.
Thus The Portable Dorothy Parker is a volume which I believed would be a fitting replacement for the Holy Book. Which it somewhat is. In that it only gets really good near the end and you spend most of your time skipping over the bad bits.
You see The Portable Dorothy Parker would be better titled The Short Stories of Dorothy Parker, interspersed by her Poetry with a paltry sampling of her Criticism, Reviews, Letters and Interviews.
I am first to admit that I am not a huge fan of Parker's short stories. Don't get me wrong, she had many wonderful stories: Big Blonde, Arrangement in Black and White, The Waltz, From the Diary of a New York Lady and The Game are some shining examples. But almost five-hundred pages of this six-hundred page volume are dedicated to her stories, many of which are just not good. There's a reason why we don't immediately think 'short story writer' when we hear Parker's name.
I feel the term 'hit and miss' was coined specifically for her short fiction. Those that hit are blinding critiques of early-20th century society, full of one-liners and characters which are equally as devastating. The misses are unreadable. Nothing much being written about nothing much. Therefore at time this volume is an absolute pain to get through, whilst at other times you want to rip each page out and frame them along a staircase.
Most of my praise for this volume comes from the measly hundred pages dedicated to her non-fiction. This is where Parker Comes Alive! Such glittering meanness from the mouth of the poison Madonna. It depresses me so much. I'll never be her. The best I can do is plagiarise, which has served me quite well for many years. Sometime during my twenties I'll probably get a Dorothy Parker quote tattooed onto my skin, right next to my stigmata.
Overall The Portable Dorothy Parker is a somewhat skewed collection of her finest writings. There is absolute gold in here, but one must sift through the mud first. Perhaps it is one for the fans.
June 3, 2007
today the Algonquin Hotel bar offers for the ultimate fan the "Mrs. Parker" = a $15 cosmopolitan. If you're as nerdy as me, you'll bring the book with you to read while you nurse the shit out of a week's food money.
July 9, 2015
This portable library of short stories, poems and reviews by the author, poet and critic Dorothy Parker was loaned by a friend who attached the following advice: "Parker might be best digested one bite at a time." Over the past two months, I've been doing that, eating lunch and digesting Parker's wit twenty pages at a time.
My first impression, which I was proud of myself for making at the time, was that these pieces read like something that would appear in the New Yorker. I soon discovered that Parker was considered instrumental in making the New Yorker into the New Yorker; founded in 1925 by Harold Ross, the magazine published Parker's work irregularly from 1926 to 1955.
When I think of "the New Yorker short story" I think of tofu; healthy and totally lacking in flavor. These droll literary observations of modern living would conceivably need a dash of Larry David or a side order of Jack Handey for me to remember them. It is in this tradition that I recount what I'd consider to be the best of Dorothy Parker.
-- Arrangement In Black and White. An incessantly annoying party goer insists on being introduced to the guest of honor, a "colored" singer, revealing her own bigotry in the process.
-- The Standard of Living. Two stenographers -- Annabel and Midge -- spend their free afternoons walking Fifth Avenue playing a favorite game: If you someone left you a million dollars and instructed you to spend it on yourself, what would you do? Fantasy money only buys fantasy happiness.
-- Mr. Durant. An assistant manager in the credit department of a rubber factory impresses himself by handling a situation with a secretary who reveals she's "in trouble" in a delicate way. Returning to his family, Mr. Durant reveals his misogamy over a stray dog his children ask to keep.
-- Mrs. Hofstadter on Josephine Street. A couple visit an employment agency for a referral on a servant and receive the most enthusiastic recommendation, a man named Horace who arrives at their home with too much enthusiasm for the couple to tolerate.
-- Big Blonde. Self-described "good sport" Hazel Morse decides to settle down in her mid-thirties by accepting a marriage proposal. Discontent and alcohol turns them from lovers to enemies and as the relationship dies, Hazel considers doing likewise. Her maid, Nettie, has other ideas.
I enjoyed quite a bit of Parker's poetry as well, particularly her six epithets, Tombstones in the Starlight.
III. The Very Rich Man
He'd have the best, and that was none too good;
No barrier could hold, before his terms.
He lies below, correct in cypress wood,
And entertains the most exclusive worms.
Unfortunately, much of what remains in this collection grew tedious. Three of the pieces (The Lovely Leave, A Telephone Call, New York to Detroit) seem like drafts of the same story: a lonely woman waits by the telephone for her man to call her. Parker's women/ Parker can seem hysterical, and not in a screwball, Katharine Hepburn sort of way.
Flannery O'Connor remains my favorite short story writer, a woman who was truly ahead of her time, lighting Molotov cocktails at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. While I remain haunted by O'Connor's imagination, I can only say of Parker that she was a fine craftsman of the written word, prodigious and consistent.
My first impression, which I was proud of myself for making at the time, was that these pieces read like something that would appear in the New Yorker. I soon discovered that Parker was considered instrumental in making the New Yorker into the New Yorker; founded in 1925 by Harold Ross, the magazine published Parker's work irregularly from 1926 to 1955.
When I think of "the New Yorker short story" I think of tofu; healthy and totally lacking in flavor. These droll literary observations of modern living would conceivably need a dash of Larry David or a side order of Jack Handey for me to remember them. It is in this tradition that I recount what I'd consider to be the best of Dorothy Parker.
-- Arrangement In Black and White. An incessantly annoying party goer insists on being introduced to the guest of honor, a "colored" singer, revealing her own bigotry in the process.
-- The Standard of Living. Two stenographers -- Annabel and Midge -- spend their free afternoons walking Fifth Avenue playing a favorite game: If you someone left you a million dollars and instructed you to spend it on yourself, what would you do? Fantasy money only buys fantasy happiness.
-- Mr. Durant. An assistant manager in the credit department of a rubber factory impresses himself by handling a situation with a secretary who reveals she's "in trouble" in a delicate way. Returning to his family, Mr. Durant reveals his misogamy over a stray dog his children ask to keep.
-- Mrs. Hofstadter on Josephine Street. A couple visit an employment agency for a referral on a servant and receive the most enthusiastic recommendation, a man named Horace who arrives at their home with too much enthusiasm for the couple to tolerate.
-- Big Blonde. Self-described "good sport" Hazel Morse decides to settle down in her mid-thirties by accepting a marriage proposal. Discontent and alcohol turns them from lovers to enemies and as the relationship dies, Hazel considers doing likewise. Her maid, Nettie, has other ideas.
I enjoyed quite a bit of Parker's poetry as well, particularly her six epithets, Tombstones in the Starlight.
III. The Very Rich Man
He'd have the best, and that was none too good;
No barrier could hold, before his terms.
He lies below, correct in cypress wood,
And entertains the most exclusive worms.
Unfortunately, much of what remains in this collection grew tedious. Three of the pieces (The Lovely Leave, A Telephone Call, New York to Detroit) seem like drafts of the same story: a lonely woman waits by the telephone for her man to call her. Parker's women/ Parker can seem hysterical, and not in a screwball, Katharine Hepburn sort of way.
Flannery O'Connor remains my favorite short story writer, a woman who was truly ahead of her time, lighting Molotov cocktails at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. While I remain haunted by O'Connor's imagination, I can only say of Parker that she was a fine craftsman of the written word, prodigious and consistent.
September 4, 2007
So you want to write? Pick up this collection of poetry, short stories, essays, and criticism and bow to the master. Looking for a cutting remark? Dorothy Parker already said it, and said it best. But the sharpness of her critical knife and the sharpness of her wit do not undercut, and in fact enhance, the truly earned moments of deep feeling that keep her characters from being merely brittle.
April 8, 2017
I enjoyed this book enormously. I used to love it. I still like it a great deal. Her writing has not changed, it is still rich and full of wonderful words arranged into beautiful, sentences, clever paragraphs. The whole work still has great value. Dorothy Parker's legendary acerbic wit amused me no end as a young woman. What has changed is my perspective. As I have gotten older, I have come to view it as an internal rage, vented upon everyone around her. She remains a great read, but now I feel just a little bit sorrier for her than I did in younger days. I'm guessing she experienced more than a bit of Women's Oppression Sickness, and the rapier tongue was a way of responding to a culture that often devalued literary women. My own background is in Women's and gay and lesbian studies. Parker was a legend in her time, and deservedly so. Please read her many writings, and form your own opinion.
August 16, 2015
I thought everyone knew who Dorothy Parker was, regardless if everyone has read her or not. But then recently I mentioned at work that I was reading her and the guy I was talking to said "Oh, who is Dorothy Parker?"
I read a lot of these stories back in my early 20s, which I think was the right time to read Dorothy Parker for the first time. I was much more impressed back then, like most readers in their early 20s are. But what's funny is that as the yeas have passed, I realized I forgot most of these stories, or at least what most of the stories were about. Returning now in my late 30s I can still appreciate the sardonic wit Parker is best known for, but I've had many more years of my own jading happen, and now reading Parker is sort of... been there, done that.
Many of her stories are similar, which is not a bad thing in itself. I would recommend breaking up these readings over a longer stretch of time, or you will find yourself feeling a bit under the weather. Yes, there are funny moments, but these stories are mostly those sad-funny moments, where you sort of smirk but you're mostly just sad at the people these events are happening to. It's sort of like everyday life, if you're like me, where you hate the majority of people but still are incredibly sad by the things that you see happening to them.
I never read the reviews back in the day, so I was glad to get out of the stories and into them now. I find her reviews much more palatable - they are intelligent, and entertaining, and I could easily see myself cracking open the paper back in her day just to read her reviews on whichever book she praised or trashed that week. I think that was where her true talent was, in reviews, instead of creating characters and keeping up dialogue in her short stories, some of which were better executed than others.
Her poems... well, I'm not much of a poem-reader right now (I go through phases) and it's hard for me to discuss poems when I'm going through a non-poem phase as I am right now. I did find that she packed a harder punch in the shorter poems than the longer poems, and feel that this could also be said about her short stories as well. Some of the better stories were the shorter ones.
Overall, I still appreciate Parker for her writing, even though I find myself not really enjoying it as much now as I used to. I recommend not listening to Morrissey while reading Dorothy Parker, because you will want to die by the end of the day.
I read a lot of these stories back in my early 20s, which I think was the right time to read Dorothy Parker for the first time. I was much more impressed back then, like most readers in their early 20s are. But what's funny is that as the yeas have passed, I realized I forgot most of these stories, or at least what most of the stories were about. Returning now in my late 30s I can still appreciate the sardonic wit Parker is best known for, but I've had many more years of my own jading happen, and now reading Parker is sort of... been there, done that.
Many of her stories are similar, which is not a bad thing in itself. I would recommend breaking up these readings over a longer stretch of time, or you will find yourself feeling a bit under the weather. Yes, there are funny moments, but these stories are mostly those sad-funny moments, where you sort of smirk but you're mostly just sad at the people these events are happening to. It's sort of like everyday life, if you're like me, where you hate the majority of people but still are incredibly sad by the things that you see happening to them.
I never read the reviews back in the day, so I was glad to get out of the stories and into them now. I find her reviews much more palatable - they are intelligent, and entertaining, and I could easily see myself cracking open the paper back in her day just to read her reviews on whichever book she praised or trashed that week. I think that was where her true talent was, in reviews, instead of creating characters and keeping up dialogue in her short stories, some of which were better executed than others.
Her poems... well, I'm not much of a poem-reader right now (I go through phases) and it's hard for me to discuss poems when I'm going through a non-poem phase as I am right now. I did find that she packed a harder punch in the shorter poems than the longer poems, and feel that this could also be said about her short stories as well. Some of the better stories were the shorter ones.
Overall, I still appreciate Parker for her writing, even though I find myself not really enjoying it as much now as I used to. I recommend not listening to Morrissey while reading Dorothy Parker, because you will want to die by the end of the day.
September 16, 2022
Loads of really wonderful short stories. Mostly about depressing urban living - typically in drunk stupors or boring marriages.
I wasn’t a big fan of the poetry, and skimmed over the letters and various articles the new edition packed.
I picked this up because of the Penguin Deluxe Edition... it's designed by the cartoonist Seth!
I wasn’t a big fan of the poetry, and skimmed over the letters and various articles the new edition packed.
I picked this up because of the Penguin Deluxe Edition... it's designed by the cartoonist Seth!
December 17, 2007
Well, I know just how she feels, which might be why I don't always enjoy this stuff so much. Reading Parker is a bit like having an IM conversation with myself, if I were a lot smarter, a much better writer, and a way bigger alcoholic.
May 30, 2008
Such a witty woman. I want to have lunch with her and listen to the ramblings of a dark, entertaining mind. She wrote humorous poems about how bad she is at committing suicide. She talked about the men in her life the same way us guys talk about women.
A Certain Lady by Dorothy Parker
Oh, I can smile for you, and tilt my head,
And drink your rushing words with eager lips,
And paint my mouth for you a fragrant red,
And trace your brows with tutored finger-tips.
When you rehearse your list of loves to me,
Oh, I can laugh and marvel, rapturous-eyed.
And you laugh back, nor can you ever see
The thousand little deaths my heart has died.
And you believe, so well I know my part,
That I am gay as morning, light as snow,
And all the straining things within my heart
You'll never know.
Oh, I can laugh and listen, when we meet,
And you bring tales of fresh adventurings, --
Of ladies delicately indiscreet,
Of lingering hands, and gently whispered things.
And you are pleased with me, and strive anew
To sing me sagas of your late delights.
Thus do you want me -- marveling, gay, and true,
Nor do you see my staring eyes of nights.
And when, in search of novelty, you stray,
Oh, I can kiss you blithely as you go ....
And what goes on, my love, while you're away,
You'll never know.
A Certain Lady by Dorothy Parker
Oh, I can smile for you, and tilt my head,
And drink your rushing words with eager lips,
And paint my mouth for you a fragrant red,
And trace your brows with tutored finger-tips.
When you rehearse your list of loves to me,
Oh, I can laugh and marvel, rapturous-eyed.
And you laugh back, nor can you ever see
The thousand little deaths my heart has died.
And you believe, so well I know my part,
That I am gay as morning, light as snow,
And all the straining things within my heart
You'll never know.
Oh, I can laugh and listen, when we meet,
And you bring tales of fresh adventurings, --
Of ladies delicately indiscreet,
Of lingering hands, and gently whispered things.
And you are pleased with me, and strive anew
To sing me sagas of your late delights.
Thus do you want me -- marveling, gay, and true,
Nor do you see my staring eyes of nights.
And when, in search of novelty, you stray,
Oh, I can kiss you blithely as you go ....
And what goes on, my love, while you're away,
You'll never know.
April 17, 2009
After I wrote a particularly scathing review of the unedited re-release of Apocalypse Now for my Critical Reviewing class in college (actual line from the review: "Around the third hour or so, I became convinced that the real genius of this film was not Coppola himself but rather the person who forced him to cut at least an hour out of Apocalypse Now in the first place"), my professor compared me to Dorothy Parker. Or maybe he just suggested I read her, but my ego prefers the first version. Anyway, seven years after this recommendation, I finally bought myself a copy of this book. It took me another full year to summon the courage to crack open the 600-plus-page tome. Six months later, I have finally finished it. For those of you keeping track at home, that means it took me 8.5 years to get to this point. But oh, it was worth the wait. In fact, I'm just sad that some hipster T-shirt company hasn't made a "What Would Dorothy Parker Do?" shirt, because I think I'm making that my new motto.
I have always delighted in the thrill of delivering a well-crafted zinger, so Dorothy Parker is like my patron saint. The short stories and reviews were by far my favorite sections of the book (within those, the dialogue between the just-married couple on the train and her review of a ludicrous A.A. Milne play were my absolute favorites). In the introduction, the editor points out that Dorothy Parker considered it a great failure that she was never able to write a novel; after reading her short stories, I think I can see why. Parker has such utter (yet amusing) disdain for all of her characters; I think a novelist must at least like one or two of her characters a little bit if she's going to spend that much time with them. However, I didn't see this as a failure; rather, I consider Parker a success in that she's one of the only writers I've come across so far who's been able to completely master the short story.
I do confess that I skimmed over most of the poetry (perhaps I'll go back and read it someday, but poetry just can't hold my attention before bed), and while there were some nice lines and some interesting insights into her personal life contained within her letters, some of those included were so pointlessly incongruous that I wondered if I was going to stumble upon a chapter of her old dry-cleaning receipts next. (See, I'm already putting my WWDPD? philosophy to use. I hope she would be proud.)
I have always delighted in the thrill of delivering a well-crafted zinger, so Dorothy Parker is like my patron saint. The short stories and reviews were by far my favorite sections of the book (within those, the dialogue between the just-married couple on the train and her review of a ludicrous A.A. Milne play were my absolute favorites). In the introduction, the editor points out that Dorothy Parker considered it a great failure that she was never able to write a novel; after reading her short stories, I think I can see why. Parker has such utter (yet amusing) disdain for all of her characters; I think a novelist must at least like one or two of her characters a little bit if she's going to spend that much time with them. However, I didn't see this as a failure; rather, I consider Parker a success in that she's one of the only writers I've come across so far who's been able to completely master the short story.
I do confess that I skimmed over most of the poetry (perhaps I'll go back and read it someday, but poetry just can't hold my attention before bed), and while there were some nice lines and some interesting insights into her personal life contained within her letters, some of those included were so pointlessly incongruous that I wondered if I was going to stumble upon a chapter of her old dry-cleaning receipts next. (See, I'm already putting my WWDPD? philosophy to use. I hope she would be proud.)
July 8, 2014
I have a major literary crush on Parker. I'm a sucker for a funny line, and Parker had a lot of those.
September 19, 2016
It's a constant concern: Are You In A Dorothy Parker Story? And does your laugh sound like a suicide attempt? So, in the interest of research, here are some Dorothy Parker stories.
Big Blonde is Parker's most famous short story. It's a direct response to Anita Loos's terrific Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - an unauthorized sequel, in fact. And if you thought Parker was all blithe sarcastic one-liners, here's her at her most cynical. Here's what happens to good sports - ain't we got fun? It's a great story and absolutely dark as fuck, just pure nihilism.
I'm pretty sure Graham Greene borrowed Hazel Morse for his character Ida Arnold in Brighton Rock, btw.
I liked Arrangement in Black & White (racist lady is horrible), that was funny.
You Were Perfectly Fine (drunk guy has a new girlfriend, oops) and The Telephone Call (he's not going to call), I didn't like so much. Both a little...what, mean? Too much bummer, not enough smart? I didn't think they were offering me anything, really. One starts to get the impression that Parker isn't crazy about women. If a man wrote these stories we'd call him gross.
The Game, from Part II - not in Parker's original selection for the first Portable edition - is terrific. Extremely dark. About a dinner party where a charades-like game gets out of hand. My favorite so far.
Big Blonde is Parker's most famous short story. It's a direct response to Anita Loos's terrific Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - an unauthorized sequel, in fact. And if you thought Parker was all blithe sarcastic one-liners, here's her at her most cynical. Here's what happens to good sports - ain't we got fun? It's a great story and absolutely dark as fuck, just pure nihilism.
I'm pretty sure Graham Greene borrowed Hazel Morse for his character Ida Arnold in Brighton Rock, btw.
I liked Arrangement in Black & White (racist lady is horrible), that was funny.
You Were Perfectly Fine (drunk guy has a new girlfriend, oops) and The Telephone Call (he's not going to call), I didn't like so much. Both a little...what, mean? Too much bummer, not enough smart? I didn't think they were offering me anything, really. One starts to get the impression that Parker isn't crazy about women. If a man wrote these stories we'd call him gross.
The Game, from Part II - not in Parker's original selection for the first Portable edition - is terrific. Extremely dark. About a dinner party where a charades-like game gets out of hand. My favorite so far.
November 18, 2016
A collection of Parker's short stories and poetry. The author is best known for her wit and finding the humor in the darkest of circumstances. I wish that I had read this book a bit at a time instead of trying to power through it. Still, there was plenty to enjoy in this collection. I think I most admire Parker's characterizations. The dialogue is so good that you can hear the voices in their own distinct rhythms and accents. And many of the stories did make me laugh. It would be hard to not find someone you recognize in at least one of her stories.
A common theme, however, seems to be finding a man, holding on to a man or suffering for men. This made me wonder about Parker as a person and what inspired this pervading theme. Her mother died when she was 5 and she loathed her father and stepmother. Her first husband she lost in WWI and her second husband was rumored to be bisexual, something that Parker joked about with friends. None of which gives much clue to her writing. I'm sure there is an annotated edition with more information, but for now I am content with having finished the book and having enjoyed most of it.
A common theme, however, seems to be finding a man, holding on to a man or suffering for men. This made me wonder about Parker as a person and what inspired this pervading theme. Her mother died when she was 5 and she loathed her father and stepmother. Her first husband she lost in WWI and her second husband was rumored to be bisexual, something that Parker joked about with friends. None of which gives much clue to her writing. I'm sure there is an annotated edition with more information, but for now I am content with having finished the book and having enjoyed most of it.
January 3, 2012
I only read from page 445 to the end. Her short stories take up the first several hundred pages. They are dry and boring and contain not a hint of her trademark wit, so I skipped them.
The miscellaneous non-fiction pieces at the back of the book are the jewels in her scribbler's crown. Book reviews, theater critiques, magazine articles, and private letters -- a cornucopia of her peculiar observations and famed turns of phrase. Parker was a very funny lady, and a brutally honest one as well. Her writing has barbs, but it's all in fun, and she's just as likely to pick on herself as on anyone else.
Alexander Woollcott once affectionately said of Dorothy Parker: "That bird only sings when she's unhappy." True perhaps, but what a voice. Forget the short stories. Read the non-fiction. Her style hums with more personality than any writer I've ever read.
The miscellaneous non-fiction pieces at the back of the book are the jewels in her scribbler's crown. Book reviews, theater critiques, magazine articles, and private letters -- a cornucopia of her peculiar observations and famed turns of phrase. Parker was a very funny lady, and a brutally honest one as well. Her writing has barbs, but it's all in fun, and she's just as likely to pick on herself as on anyone else.
Alexander Woollcott once affectionately said of Dorothy Parker: "That bird only sings when she's unhappy." True perhaps, but what a voice. Forget the short stories. Read the non-fiction. Her style hums with more personality than any writer I've ever read.
March 11, 2011
If you are a fan of the witty, acerbic Miss Parker then this is the book that you must have. It contains reviews, poetry, articles, and short stories......everything you need to satisfy your soul. Enough said.....just wonderful.
December 27, 2020
Dorothy Parker is a genius of the short form, her intelligence is sharp and biting, her humor is dark and quick. There are examples in this book of some of THE BEST short stories to ever be put to paper, there are examples of misses, there are examples of stories and poetry that feel dated, and then there section of her reviews - great reviews, but I don't value written critiques the same way I value original writing. All to say there are highs, lows, and the middling points, so a middling rating is what we are left with.
Parker has a distinct voice that I realize now I have seen replicated since her time, but no one else did it so well. Her poetry can be the bleakest form of romance, but also the funniest version of anti-romance. Parker's poetry often dealt with romantic disappointment and she mocked it - HARD.
As entertaining as I found some of her poetry and critiques, some of the short stories are where some of the real darkness and brilliance lives. Big Blonde was some tragic, subtle writing that I wasn't expecting, sneaky good writing - reads like a master class in the short form, not one word wasted. The twisted darkness of The Game is another example, she can build the tension in a few pages, twist the plot, build the characters, and blow it all up in just a few words - LOVE IT. This being said, not all Parker short stories are created equal.
Loved some of it, enjoyed some, and felt indifferent to other parts. Every page of brilliance is worth a large quantity of lackluster - and just to be clear even the most lackluster of Dorothy Parker is still great writing, perhaps the biggest issue is how it compares with her best work. While I do not think there is too much Dorothy Parker, I do think there can be too much Dorothy Parker in one binding.
Parker has a distinct voice that I realize now I have seen replicated since her time, but no one else did it so well. Her poetry can be the bleakest form of romance, but also the funniest version of anti-romance. Parker's poetry often dealt with romantic disappointment and she mocked it - HARD.
To A Much Too Unfortunate Unfortunate Lady
He will love you presently
If you be the way you be.
Send your heart a-skittering.
He will stoop, and lift the thing.
Be your dreams as thread, to tease
Into patterns he shall please.
Let him see your passion is
Ever tenderer than his....
Go and bless your star above,
Thus are you, and thus is Love.
He will leave you white with woe,
If you go the way you go.
If your dreams were thread to weave
He will pluck them from his sleeve.
If your heart had come to rest,
He will flick it from his breast.
Tender though the love he bore,
You had loved a little more....
Lady, go and curse your star,
Thus Love is, and thus you are.
As entertaining as I found some of her poetry and critiques, some of the short stories are where some of the real darkness and brilliance lives. Big Blonde was some tragic, subtle writing that I wasn't expecting, sneaky good writing - reads like a master class in the short form, not one word wasted. The twisted darkness of The Game is another example, she can build the tension in a few pages, twist the plot, build the characters, and blow it all up in just a few words - LOVE IT. This being said, not all Parker short stories are created equal.
Loved some of it, enjoyed some, and felt indifferent to other parts. Every page of brilliance is worth a large quantity of lackluster - and just to be clear even the most lackluster of Dorothy Parker is still great writing, perhaps the biggest issue is how it compares with her best work. While I do not think there is too much Dorothy Parker, I do think there can be too much Dorothy Parker in one binding.
June 7, 2008
"Big Blonde" is the best story in the book, and one of the greatest short stories ever written. Dorothy Parker is the greatest chick-lit writer of all time. If you like Louise Brooks movies you will kiss Dorothy's literary feet!
December 16, 2015
I can best describe this book as a brick; in physical size and in emotional weight. I went into it expecting simple stories laced with a sarcastic sense of humor that would rival my own. What I ended up with at times was overwhelming waves of disgust that dripped with feelings of melancholy towards the human condition. Depth and insight that cut to the bone with sarcasm and humor as a shot of vodka to numb the spirit; what a breathtaking combo.
After reading a sampling of her stories, reviews and letters (GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE), I would say my love falls into the story category. There were a few back-to-back at the beginning that were a bit boring or too chit-chatty, but everything else was a solid slam. Maybe they were there to represent the progression of her writing or maybe just because she chose to place them in that order herself. I honestly never took the time to research it because the slight against the general composition of the book wasn’t enough to send me on that journey.
Her reviews were boring but I credit that to me not knowing the material she was reviewing. Again, not wanting to devote the time to research every item she reviewed to see if her reviews matched my feelings of the material and so on. I just chose to smile and nod and take them as they were.
So half a star drop for my attention staying less than focused and another half for triggering one of my pet peeves. Do we really need to see the private letters she wrote? They do nothing more in the way of shedding light on her as writer that the rest of the book hasn't already abundantly covered by providing everything else.
After reading a sampling of her stories, reviews and letters (GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE), I would say my love falls into the story category. There were a few back-to-back at the beginning that were a bit boring or too chit-chatty, but everything else was a solid slam. Maybe they were there to represent the progression of her writing or maybe just because she chose to place them in that order herself. I honestly never took the time to research it because the slight against the general composition of the book wasn’t enough to send me on that journey.
Her reviews were boring but I credit that to me not knowing the material she was reviewing. Again, not wanting to devote the time to research every item she reviewed to see if her reviews matched my feelings of the material and so on. I just chose to smile and nod and take them as they were.
So half a star drop for my attention staying less than focused and another half for triggering one of my pet peeves. Do we really need to see the private letters she wrote? They do nothing more in the way of shedding light on her as writer that the rest of the book hasn't already abundantly covered by providing everything else.
August 16, 2015
I love Dorothy Parker!! Smart, witty, biting, sarcastic, and so true to life. Even though these stories were written years ago, the themes and mood ring true today. I'd been wanting to read some of her work for a while and am glad I finally picked up this book.
This is a collection of short stories, many of which focus on the relationships between men and women. Parker seems to have had a fairly negative view of romantic relationships as many of her stories highlight the miscommunication within a relationship and their subsequent breakdown. Her sarcasm veers into near-meanness at times, but pulls back right at the line.
This collection also includes poetry and "other writings" that are mainly essays and reviews. Parker's poetry is short, to the point, and often biting. There is a sense of ennui in short stories that is magnified in her poetry. The reviews are wonderful for the sense of the person of Parker that comes through. She writes in a more personal tone in these reviews and essays that is refreshing.
I am so glad I finally read Parker; it was worth the wait.
This is a collection of short stories, many of which focus on the relationships between men and women. Parker seems to have had a fairly negative view of romantic relationships as many of her stories highlight the miscommunication within a relationship and their subsequent breakdown. Her sarcasm veers into near-meanness at times, but pulls back right at the line.
This collection also includes poetry and "other writings" that are mainly essays and reviews. Parker's poetry is short, to the point, and often biting. There is a sense of ennui in short stories that is magnified in her poetry. The reviews are wonderful for the sense of the person of Parker that comes through. She writes in a more personal tone in these reviews and essays that is refreshing.
I am so glad I finally read Parker; it was worth the wait.
Read
August 19, 2011No Rating. I read the select parts I was interested in this time. Her shorter poems I find to be fetching. Tart, witty, cynical but all human and humane. I read her best known short story "Big Blonde," an autobiographical, at least in part, writing. Great interview she gave for the The Paris Review. I have other titles waiting in my to-read queue, so I'll return and give a fuller reading.
July 4, 2008
Dorothy Parker kicks so much ass that I want to re-incarnate as a man, go back in time, and sleep with her. Just so I can say I did.
Dorothy Parker is one of the wittiest people that lived, and her poetry and stories are so simple that any half-wit could understand it (heehee) and appreciate her genius.
Dorothy rocks!
Dorothy Parker is one of the wittiest people that lived, and her poetry and stories are so simple that any half-wit could understand it (heehee) and appreciate her genius.
Dorothy rocks!
December 14, 2013
I think I'll finally move this over to the "read" shelf.
I didn't read every single page of this book. I love Dorothy Parker and think she is witty and clever. But reading every single thing she ever wrote was a bit wearing and started to feel repetitive and her humor even started to seem a bit mean.
I didn't read every single page of this book. I love Dorothy Parker and think she is witty and clever. But reading every single thing she ever wrote was a bit wearing and started to feel repetitive and her humor even started to seem a bit mean.
September 1, 2023
3.5 stars really, but it took me so damn long to finish that I resent the thing now.
Shelved as 'on-hold'
June 7, 2019Dorothy Parker's reputation as one of the wittiest women of the twentieth century was made on tart quotes and agile one liners. She never quite managed to shed her image as a joker, even though she was a prolific writer of verse, short stories, literary and dramatic criticism, articles, eloquent war reporting, polemical essays, sketches, song lyrics, dramas, and screenplays. Her output, across a half century, was vast. Still, this wasn't enough for her.
It never is.
A delightful introduction by Marion Meade. I see I've added this book on September 29, 2013. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
June 7, 19
May 1, 2017
A one-woman show handled wittily to hide her innermost insecurities..!
So bravo!
Who wouldn't relate to that wit and recklessly daring kind of heroism?!
("I know I'm drinking myself to a slow death, but then I'm in no hurry"), she argues; but her shield of sarcasm lowers slightly, and her loneliness and regret for her own pretensions and failure to change the world come through clearly and sadly!
A big cynical of a human being, I guess but a lot of a romantic one, that's for sure..let alone (ahead; way ahead of her times..!)
" It's the thesis of "The Portable Dorothy Parker," a sign that great humor often comes from deep pain :(
Loved her words and hated them at the same time in so many spots; and that's her brilliance, I suppose!
“Daily dawns another day;
I must up, to make my way.
Though I dress and drink and eat,
Move my fingers and my feet,
Learn a little, here and there,
Weep and laugh and sweat and swear,
Hear a song, or watch a stage,
Leave some words upon a page,
Claim a foe, or hail a friend-
Bed awaits me at the end.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Portable Dorothy Parker. :(
And....
“This level reach of blue is not my sea;
Here are sweet waters, pretty in the sun,
Whose quiet ripples meet obediently
A marked and measured line, one after one.
This is no sea of mine. that humbly laves
Untroubled sands, spread glittering and warm.
I have a need of wilder, crueler waves;
They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm.
So let a love beat over me again,
Loosing its million desperate breakers wide;
Sudden and terrible to rise and wane;
Roaring the heavens apart; a reckless tide
That casts upon the heart, as it recedes,
Splinters and spars and dripping, salty weeds.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Portable Dorothy Parker. <3
And....and in a superbly brilliant and outstanding way:
“Travel, trouble, music, art, a kiss, a frock, a rhyme --
I never said they feed my heart, but still they pass my time.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Portable Dorothy Parker. <3
So bravo!
Who wouldn't relate to that wit and recklessly daring kind of heroism?!
("I know I'm drinking myself to a slow death, but then I'm in no hurry"), she argues; but her shield of sarcasm lowers slightly, and her loneliness and regret for her own pretensions and failure to change the world come through clearly and sadly!
A big cynical of a human being, I guess but a lot of a romantic one, that's for sure..let alone (ahead; way ahead of her times..!)
" It's the thesis of "The Portable Dorothy Parker," a sign that great humor often comes from deep pain :(
Loved her words and hated them at the same time in so many spots; and that's her brilliance, I suppose!
“Daily dawns another day;
I must up, to make my way.
Though I dress and drink and eat,
Move my fingers and my feet,
Learn a little, here and there,
Weep and laugh and sweat and swear,
Hear a song, or watch a stage,
Leave some words upon a page,
Claim a foe, or hail a friend-
Bed awaits me at the end.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Portable Dorothy Parker. :(
And....
“This level reach of blue is not my sea;
Here are sweet waters, pretty in the sun,
Whose quiet ripples meet obediently
A marked and measured line, one after one.
This is no sea of mine. that humbly laves
Untroubled sands, spread glittering and warm.
I have a need of wilder, crueler waves;
They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm.
So let a love beat over me again,
Loosing its million desperate breakers wide;
Sudden and terrible to rise and wane;
Roaring the heavens apart; a reckless tide
That casts upon the heart, as it recedes,
Splinters and spars and dripping, salty weeds.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Portable Dorothy Parker. <3
And....and in a superbly brilliant and outstanding way:
“Travel, trouble, music, art, a kiss, a frock, a rhyme --
I never said they feed my heart, but still they pass my time.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Portable Dorothy Parker. <3
August 20, 2007
It's not that portable, but Dorothy Parker's a bracing companion for travel, and well worth the bother of lugging her around. I love how mean she was, and she was a fabulous letter-writer: funny, frank and gossipy. Her poetry and short stories do get a bit samey when read all at one go -- themes recur -- but she's such an entertaining writer that it doesn't much matter.
It pleases me that she took up the mantle when P. G. Wodehouse stopped reviewing drama for -- hm, some magazine or the other. Maybe it was the New Yorker. It amuses me that, like Wodehouse, she loathed A. A. Milne. I was surprised when I read her letters that she got so miserable over men -- one thinks of her as being eternally self-sufficient and witty, never discomposed -- but it really shouldn't have been a surprise, considering the stuff she wrote. This is not a good book to read when you are having relationship problems. Or maybe it is. It depends what you're looking for -- comfort and distraction, or somebody to wallow with.
Also interesting for the glimpse of how people -- well, okay, how a certain, fairly well-off section of American society thought and acted and spoke at the time.
I think Dorothy Parker would have been tremendously comfortable on LJ. She would have gossiped and feuded and made brilliant posts on everything.
ETA: Another thing I liked was her mocking of the Beat poets. It is pleasant to have your literary dislikes shared by your favourite writers.
It pleases me that she took up the mantle when P. G. Wodehouse stopped reviewing drama for -- hm, some magazine or the other. Maybe it was the New Yorker. It amuses me that, like Wodehouse, she loathed A. A. Milne. I was surprised when I read her letters that she got so miserable over men -- one thinks of her as being eternally self-sufficient and witty, never discomposed -- but it really shouldn't have been a surprise, considering the stuff she wrote. This is not a good book to read when you are having relationship problems. Or maybe it is. It depends what you're looking for -- comfort and distraction, or somebody to wallow with.
Also interesting for the glimpse of how people -- well, okay, how a certain, fairly well-off section of American society thought and acted and spoke at the time.
I think Dorothy Parker would have been tremendously comfortable on LJ. She would have gossiped and feuded and made brilliant posts on everything.
ETA: Another thing I liked was her mocking of the Beat poets. It is pleasant to have your literary dislikes shared by your favourite writers.
Read
February 12, 2017I am so glad that I read this book!
I have read some of Dorothy Parker's verse (who has not?), and some anecdotes from her life and was intrigued by her. This volume includes verse (she did not consider her writings "poetry"), short stories, magazine articles, book and theatre reviews and a collection of letters. The short stories were my favorite part! Her style is very heavy on dialogue, including internal dialogue, and not very narrative. I feel like it gives her stories a unique rhythm and really focuses on character. The stories and the verses are humorous, yet sad. Which also describes the author.
Her writing is entertaining, engaging and insightful. I feel like a better person for having read Dorothy Parker.
I have read some of Dorothy Parker's verse (who has not?), and some anecdotes from her life and was intrigued by her. This volume includes verse (she did not consider her writings "poetry"), short stories, magazine articles, book and theatre reviews and a collection of letters. The short stories were my favorite part! Her style is very heavy on dialogue, including internal dialogue, and not very narrative. I feel like it gives her stories a unique rhythm and really focuses on character. The stories and the verses are humorous, yet sad. Which also describes the author.
Her writing is entertaining, engaging and insightful. I feel like a better person for having read Dorothy Parker.
August 2, 2009
Lover her. Hate her. Her poetry is always sardonic fun.
"Now it’s over, and now it’s done;
Why does everything look the same?
Just as bright, the unheeding sun,—
Can’t it see that the parting came?
People hurry and work and swear,
Laugh and grumble and die and wed,
Ponder what they will eat and wear,—
Don’t they know that our love is dead?
Just as busy, the crowded street;
Cars and wagons go rolling on,
Children chuckle, and lovers meet,—
Don’t they know that our love is gone?
No one pauses to pay a tear;
None walks slow, for the love that’s through,—
I might mention, my recent dear,
I’ve reverted to normal, too."
"Now it’s over, and now it’s done;
Why does everything look the same?
Just as bright, the unheeding sun,—
Can’t it see that the parting came?
People hurry and work and swear,
Laugh and grumble and die and wed,
Ponder what they will eat and wear,—
Don’t they know that our love is dead?
Just as busy, the crowded street;
Cars and wagons go rolling on,
Children chuckle, and lovers meet,—
Don’t they know that our love is gone?
No one pauses to pay a tear;
None walks slow, for the love that’s through,—
I might mention, my recent dear,
I’ve reverted to normal, too."
June 6, 2017
3-3.5
I love Dorothy Parkers wit. I really enjoyed some of the stories, and others felt like they droned on and were similar to previous stories. I think eliminating some of the stories or not reading this book all at once, but a story once in awhile would remedy that problem.
The end of the book is interesting and more serious. It speaks to DP's political statements.
I may try to read this again, breaking it up into small pieces, one story every once in awhile. I think it's an important piece of American history through the eyes of a woman.
I love Dorothy Parkers wit. I really enjoyed some of the stories, and others felt like they droned on and were similar to previous stories. I think eliminating some of the stories or not reading this book all at once, but a story once in awhile would remedy that problem.
The end of the book is interesting and more serious. It speaks to DP's political statements.
I may try to read this again, breaking it up into small pieces, one story every once in awhile. I think it's an important piece of American history through the eyes of a woman.
January 4, 2008
I was really obsessed with Dorothy Parker and the whole Algonquin Round Table in high school. I've read most of this book, maybe not all of the short stories. I always liked her play reviews the best, where she was truly snarky and not just sort of a 1920's version of emo; all whiny and overly ironic and desparate for attention. This collected edition has a lot of her play reviews, most of her poetry and I think all of her short stories.
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