The Portable Dorothy Parker (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
by Dorothy Parker
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Read in August, 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...more
It pleases me that she took up the mantle when P. G. Wodehouse stopped reviewing drama for -- hm, some magazine or the other...more
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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...more
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...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Marigold by:
Jessica
I just love Dorothy Parker! She's a hoot & I totally wish I could go drinking with her! "What would Dorothy Parker say?" just may be my new mantra! Sadly I will never be as witty or well-read as she was. Having said all that, I mostly loved this book for Parker's uncollected articles and reviews of books, plays & poetry. I kept on laughing out loud while reading this, earning curious looks from my coworkers at lunch, & patient eye-rolling from my husband who does not always...more
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Read in October, 2007
I started reading Parker's book reviews in the back of the book and was caught by how much more they were than what they seemed.
At first they look to be just smart remarks without much depth about things Parker did and didn't like. There's nothing there that would get her an A in her English class.
After a few, you begin to see that the reviews are really the story of her reading and writing life, not an impartial evaluation of an author's achievement:
"Somewhere, there, is ...more
At first they look to be just smart remarks without much depth about things Parker did and didn't like. There's nothing there that would get her an A in her English class.
After a few, you begin to see that the reviews are really the story of her reading and writing life, not an impartial evaluation of an author's achievement:
"Somewhere, there, is ...more
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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 in to 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 ...more
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Read in August, 2007
I was so surprised by this book--I never expected to read it all the way through in one go. "Portable" is a bit of a misnomer, but maybe it's so long because there's so much of her in it. That's what I got out of this book: a sense of DP as a person--smart, silly in a lot of ways (and totally embarrassed about her own inherent silliness), unhappy much of the time, but always with something to say. I loved the reviews for telling me all about what she liked and didn't like to watch and...more
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When I watched Gilmore Girls religiously, I noticed the name of the production company at the end of each episode: Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions. I figured an author associated with the show was worth a look, especially if she was as witty and funny as Lorelai and Rory. Luckily, I found "The Waltz" in one of my old English textbooks and loved it! So, I bought this book and was pleased to find her poems and reviews to have the same sarcastic tone (she puts my Goodreads revie...more
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Read in May, 2008
This book should be required reading for all girls in their 20s going through the dating scene. Dorothy Parker writes fantastic little stories that usually don't go beyond 10 pages, as well as some of the easiest-to-read poetry I've ever picked up. I read through 150 pages on a plane ride--this book is really good for short attention spans.
Everything she writes is full of almost a brutal sarcasm and wit that turns even the most desperate or unfortunate scenarios funny. She has a few themes I...more
Everything she writes is full of almost a brutal sarcasm and wit that turns even the most desperate or unfortunate scenarios funny. She has a few themes I...more
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Read in October, 2006
recommends it for:
lovers of wit
Dorothy Parker is one of the wittiest writers I've ever read. Others are funnier, others more caustic, but she provides this balance that makes her unique and better than the vast majority of authors that write similarly. Most people seem to view her as a sort of female Oscar Wilde - that is, a verifiable quote machine. But, there's much more to her than that. Her short stories are where it's at, especially "Big Blonde." They're not as comic as you might think, but nevertheless go...more
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
Anyone
This is anthology, so I’m reviewing it on the merits of what I have read from it, which consists of nearly all the poems and a good smattering of the short stories.
Parker’s short stories are decent. I wouldn’t rave about them. In fact if that’s all she had written I wouldn’t spend my time on them at all. Where she really excels is poetry that a contemporary audience would find interesting and maybe even insightful. In terms of topics most of her poems are about love or her fo...more
Parker’s short stories are decent. I wouldn’t rave about them. In fact if that’s all she had written I wouldn’t spend my time on them at all. Where she really excels is poetry that a contemporary audience would find interesting and maybe even insightful. In terms of topics most of her poems are about love or her fo...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
fans of poetry with a bite
I do love the divine Ms. P. The fantastic cover alone was worth the price, even though I already own The Complete Poetry of Dorothy Parker and Complete Stories and an old copy of Sunset Gun. But! This contains some of her reviews, criticism, and, well, general awesomeness. Parker was queen of the biting remark...more
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Read in June, 1998
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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When I checked this book out of the library I had read precisely four things by Dorothy Parker. I knew some of her life and found her an intriguing character. She's smart and sardonic and unapologetic. The bits of this book I read really reinforced my impression of her as someone who is great at social commentary. If you're looking for fast paced stories with a lot of action, this isn't for you. If you're looking for stories with subtle message and witty, sardonic commentary on human intera...more
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Read in January, 2006
I've been meaning to read this book ever since Dean read Coda to Rory in Season 1 or 2. I find Parker's work witty and thoughtful. I like the short stories and the poetry. I like that her characters are consumed with themselves an unaware of the reality around them. It makes me think about myself and how I put myself in the center stage of the play of my life, not listening to anyone else's needs but my own. I love the dire sounding drama of her cadence and the tongue in cheekness of it a...more
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recommends it for:
Writers, fans of Sylvia Plath
I've had this book for about 2 days and already, my friends, I am addicted! Dorothy is simply hilarious and a genius, she tells it like it is and knows life isn't always roses for us. Her poems make you laugh and cry and her stories, like Here Comes The Groom and Big Blonde are priceless....You do have to feel sorry for her, though-yeah, this is hysterical stuff, but it obviously came from her sad, isolated life. Check her out and get ready for some blunt brilliance.
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i can t tell you how much i enjoyed this book. i love reading her book reviews. she writes of famous authors like-Kerouac,hemmingway,capote,sinclair lewis etc etc. she reviews plays of the time,, the 20 's 30 's. her writing is biting, fun , different. her short stories are very short but have a theme- abortion,suicide. i love dorothy parker and women like her , brilliant, witty, introspective, funny.
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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.
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Read in January, 2008
recommended to Tina by:
Maurine
Dorothy Parker's work is sadly hilarious. I use “sadly” because much of her humor focuses on the shortcomings of human kind—-the peculiarities of our personalities and relationships. Looking at the absurd sad, sad world of human interaction and “intimacy” becomes comedic through astute, sometimes alarming—-and somehow subtle—-description and scene depiction in her short stories.
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Waltz is a story in this collection that I've translated it to Farsi.It's an impressive story. The challenge which has been expressed in two different voices. It's a dramatic challenge which has been expressed well. The story has got a very nice rhythm which is the rhythm of a waltz. A sort of duality in two different voices. To read the story in Farsi go to:
http://morur.com/article.aspx?...
http://morur.com/article.aspx?...
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I am slowly working my way through this one, while continuing to read other books. So far it's very good... witty, entertaining, and easy to read--yet often cutting to the heart of things with stunning clarity and insight.
It's funny too, since first starting this book, how many Dorothy Parker allusions I've begun to pick up in music, tv shows, etc. She was very influential.
It's funny too, since first starting this book, how many Dorothy Parker allusions I've begun to pick up in music, tv shows, etc. She was very influential.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 4.44 (999 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 4.43 (350 ratings) number of reviews: 117popular shelves
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"Drink and dance and laugh and lie, love the reeling midnight through, for tomorrow we shall die (but alas we never do)!"
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