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The Portable Dorothy Parker

by Dorothy Parker, Brendan Gill (Introduction)

4.37 of 5 stars 4.37 · rating details · 5,615 ratings · 327 reviews

This collection ranges over the verse, stories, essays, and journalism of one of the twentieth century's most quotable authors.

Paperback, Revised Edition (1973), The Viking Portable Library #74, 603 pages

Published December 9th 1976 by Penguin Books (first published January 1st 1944)

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Jun 03, 2007 Cambra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: sassy postmodern ladies

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.

25 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2009 Clare rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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. Anyw...more 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.)(less)

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Dec 05, 2007 Stephy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood_favorites

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 feel...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cultural-and-social-commentary, four-star-nonfiction, journalism-essays, nonfiction

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...more

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Sep 04, 2007 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ha-ha-ha, women, new-york

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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May 30, 2008 Ramsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

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...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2008 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: The Snarky Set

Okay, so Parker is one of those authors I was constantly referencing and mentioning in an effort to sound well-read--the truth, Opus, is that I'd never read a word by her. She's quoted often enough that we can get the gist, but still...and now that I've come clean about that, I can move forward in this review.

This is an excellent collection, and darn-near comprehensive. Her complete stories are in here, as are most (if not all) of her poems, book and theatre reviews for Vanity Fair, Esquire, etc...more Okay, so Parker is one of those authors I was constantly referencing and mentioning in an effort to sound well-read--the truth, Opus, is that I'd never read a word by her. She's quoted often enough that we can get the gist, but still...and now that I've come clean about that, I can move forward in this review.

This is an excellent collection, and darn-near comprehensive. Her complete stories are in here, as are most (if not all) of her poems, book and theatre reviews for Vanity Fair, Esquire, etc. There are also a few previously uncollected articles, including a devastating piece about the Spanish Civil War. The short stories kind of creep up on you, and never end well. Her characters exist on a limited spectrum of human emotion, with half being hopelessly naive and the other half being ruthless schemers. Still, her characterizations of these people makes them real, if not pleasant. The poems didn't do much for me at all, but I'm not a poetry reader by any stretch--it's almost unfair for me to issue a public opinion about them!

Where she wins me over, though, is in her reviews. More often than not they are scathing; and also screamingly funny. Parker's critics attribute her vitriol to her own insecurities--there is no evidence to dispute that point, but the end result is an urbane wit that challenges her readers to seek out what is good and not merely popular. Her highest praise consistently and repetitively goes to Hemingway, with the honorable mention going to Ring Lardner. Faring less well are Theodore Dreiser, JM Barrie and A.A. Milne. It is fascinating, as well, to read her reviews of Updike and Kerouac, who were just coming into prominence as Parker's own fame was fading.

This collection, in addition to being a good read,is a compelling snapshot of changing (though not always evolving) American mores and values coming out of the Depression and through WWII. The sense of time and place saturates Parker's work, in the language, dress, customs--and the wit, always the wit.(less)

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Aug 19, 2007 Zen Cho rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: poetry, smartypants, shortstories, chicklit

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. Ma...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Stacie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own

Based on the stories I read from this, I am giving Ms. Parker four stars. She has an amazing ability to bring forth great characters, stories and emotions in only a few short pages.

I read, "The Lovely Leave", "Arrangement in Black and White", "The Standard of Living" and "Mr. Durant".

Wow. I just finished reading "Big Blonde"...what a tragic and heartbreaking story.

I will definitely be revisiting the rest of her stories.

1 like · like · see review

May 07, 2010 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I didn't read every entry in this volume, the selections I did read were real pissers! Parker's ear for "sophisticated" conversation and reflection of this in her short stories are a scream! I wasn't bowled over by her poetry, though a few made me chuckle (one of which I'll take to the grave: "Time doth flit. Oh shit!"). Personal letters and reviews are entertaining. (I'm glad we both agree on Kerouac and do not become "afire" with his prose.) Thanks Smidge for recommending the Portable Pa...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

From my review at http://profratigan.wordpress.com/2012...

It started crisp and clean and full of color. The spine had hard edges set like a ruler and corners that hurt if you pressed them too hard. The months have been hard on this big book. The lovely burnt magenta looks like East Berlin, the spine is bent and lined. The edges are flared and are no longer edgy. A book is like a Dorothy Parker character: only through destruction is there proof of affection.

You can say what you like about early 2...more

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May 08, 2011 Holligolefty rated it 4 of 5 stars

The themes are common in life, and now they're common in every sort of media. Temp secretary has affair with the married boss, get's pregnant; A man bemoans his slippery grip on a fascinating woman, right to her, etc.

In 1944, The Viking Press in New York published this Portable compendium of all Parker's writing; collected stories, poems, unpublished later stories, articles and book reviews.
It was met with the usual scandalized reaction from 'The Heartland' upon which Parker always counted to b...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Linda Robinson marked it as will-not-finish · review of another edition

Don't have enough time left to finish this book. I could buy it, but I am trying to lower the numbers of books on my shelves - I believe some are reproducing in the dark. Should I separate the female authors from the male? Is that what's happening? I'll dream about this in a surreal way I won't recognize in the morning, but will leave a paper-scented aura for the weekend. I love the idea of Dorothy Parker. The smoky sniping singular realm of the woman wit. I reminisce about favorite Parker quota...more

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Jan 04, 2008 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: short-stories, essays, poetry

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.

1 like · like · see review

Oct 23, 2009 Vanessa rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: American literature fans, women's literature fans

Recommended to Vanessa by: Jennifer

Other than finding the introduction to the edition I read ridiculous to a degree I cannot describe (I guess there is something wrong with me for not glorifying suicide among artists...), I found Dorothy Parker's short story collection to be quite enlightening. It allowed me a chance to look into the lives of women (and men) in the early half of the twentieth century and understand more fully how much and how little we have changed in such a relatively short period of time. I feel much less like...more

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Dec 17, 2007 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: maybe better if you can't relate so much to it?

Shelves: chicklits, crazy-ladies

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.

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 06, 2008 Andy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: jazz age chicks

Shelves: 20th-century-blues

"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!

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 30, 2012 Richard Kramer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The revelations found here: her poetry -- verse, is probably how they thought of it -- and her book reviews. You
feel like it would have been wonderful to know her, which is one of the hardest, most under-rated qualities a writer
can convey to a reader, that requires the highest art to bring off and is often taken for granted with the idea "Well, they're
just being themselves." The minute a word hits a page it is ITself, separate from you, challenging you to tame it and the words that will follow.
S...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-this-now

I cannot recommend Dorothy Parker enough. This collection of her work is incredible. I have never laughed so hard and pondered for so long. This collection has touches of biting wit, acid criticism, thought-provoking narratives, gritty realism, absolute hilarity, darkly funny humor, paeans of singleness and solitude, and even a few touching religious poems. No one can be such a pagan and yet so holy as Dorothy Parker. Nothing escapes her pen unscathed.

I recommend this book to all of my friends,...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: everything

A collection of poems, short stories, essays, articles, reviews and more, the Portable Dorothy Parker is both fun and fascinating.

Dorothy Parker, famous (or is it infamous) for her wit and humor, never thought much of her work other than as a way to pay her bills. Believing that one had to be a writer of a serious novel before you could be taken seriously, I believe that she did herself and her work a great disservice. In her short stories, many of which consist of nothing more than a conversat...more A collection of poems, short stories, essays, articles, reviews and more, the Portable Dorothy Parker is both fun and fascinating.

Dorothy Parker, famous (or is it infamous) for her wit and humor, never thought much of her work other than as a way to pay her bills. Believing that one had to be a writer of a serious novel before you could be taken seriously, I believe that she did herself and her work a great disservice. In her short stories, many of which consist of nothing more than a conversation between two characters or a stream of consciousness internal monologue, she displays an exceptional talent with dialogue, filling the space between the lines of what is said with hidden tragedies, ironies, and hypocrisies more deftly than many of the novelist that I have read. The most famous example of Parker’s skill in contrasting the stated with the unstated is her Arrangements in Black and White, a short story in a white woman, gushing about the black singer who is attending the same party, reveals a horribly racist and condescending attitude even as she professes that she has “no feelings at all” about his race. There were several points where Parker’s short stories reminded me of Hemingway’s iceberg theory of writing in which only a small percentage of the story is stated outright while the rest lurks underwater, unseen until the reader delves for it. This was particularly striking while reading Parker’s Lady with a Lamp which seemed like a companion piece (if not a sequel) to Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants both in style and in subject.

If Parker’s short stories reminded me of Hemingway (and occasionally of James Joyce), her poetry (my favorite part of the book) made me instantly think of Edna St. Vincent Millay (one of my all time favorite poets). Neither Millay and Parker were shy about partaking in life, love, and sexuality (see: Millay’s “I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed” and Parker’s “Salome’s Dancing Lesson”) but Parker seemed to be a lot more down to earth about it all with less illusions about the game and how it would play out. Still, despite the heartache inherent in not getting what you want (or worse, getting it), Parker never bows out. She may go into each situation with a wry, here-we-go-again attitude but she still goes in despite knowing better. And this rueful self-awareness, combined with her wit, humor, and just a touch of snark, is what I really enjoy about Parker’s work. Poems like “Unfortunate Coincidence,” “Two-Volume Novel,” “The Red Dress,” and “The Flaw in Paganism” are a lot of fun to read anytime but I can only imagine how much I would have appreciated this book when I was dealing with the ups and downs of dating!

The book also included some articles and essays Parker wrote for various publications, interviews, theater and book reviews, as well as a collection of letters that Parker wrote to various people. I have to admit that the letters were a bit of a let-down. Being out of context and to people that I didn’t necessarily know, they just didn’t catch my attention. I think I would have enjoyed them more in a biography or memoir because then I would have more of a context to put them in. The fact that the book ends with the letters was a bit of a let down, causing me to feel like the book fizzled out rather than ended.

I enjoyed the reviews a lot more. Although Parker’s wit seemed to becoming more curmudgeonly as she got older, her take on authors like Hemingway, Oscar Wilde, A. A. Milne (or as she called him, the author of “Whimsey the Pooh”), Jack Kerouac and Beat culture in general are often hilarious and not to be missed.
(less)

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Aug 02, 2009 Patrick Gibson rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: you all

Recommended to Patrick by: Noel Coward

Shelves: poetry

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;
Non...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Julian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: american, 20th-century, reviewed

Dorothy Parker is more interesting as a person than as a writer. The book contains short stories, poems and nonfiction pieces. My favorite part are the book reviews. Parker is an impeccable judge of literary value, although I do not always agree with her interpretations. Her writing about literature is lively, personable and funny. In her poetry she is at her best when she is being humorous. Her short stories are good, but not great. They can be repetitive and she backs away from going to places...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Salvatore rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first selection, the original portable Dorothy Parker, has some of the best written stories I've read. Parker's timing, her sense of devastation, her affecting prose - they are top-notch. Her poetry is one-note (but what a note!) but her prose is delicious.

The other selections added on by the editor showcase that sometimes she produced things that weren't pitch-perfect, though. Healthy to see, and yet it also goes to show you how critical and intense of an editor Parker was on herself. The r...more

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May 07, 2012 Lara Stilling rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't tolerate short stories very well, but I adore every single one of Dorothy Parker's. I read this edition cover to cover while in college, when I probably should have been reading some dreadful thing assigned by my professors. What do they know? She's brilliant. So dark, but at the same time, sort of upbeat about it. Majorly underrated as a poet, too. I am a big fan of light verse, though. If your poetry doesn't rhyme, then I don't want to read it. She's not for the snooty, but if you are...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Shawn Thrasher rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading Dorothy Parker is like eating some sort of extra-creamy-chocolate-mousse-poundcake-with-fudge-frosting type of dessert - incredibly tasty in small doses, and deadly when indulgently consumed. Except Dorothy Parker extra triple fudge whipped cream caramel dessert obviously has some sour and spice mixed in - more than a touch of Tabasco, some lemon, maybe some bitters. I wasn't able to finish the whole thing in one sitting (so technically marking this as "read" is a big old lie). I read th...more

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May 23, 2012 Minnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Razors pain you
Rivers are damp
Acid stains you
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live"

One of Dorothy Parker's many pithy poems but this particular collection also contains short stories and reviews. It is a comprehensive collection of the works of a woman who enjoyed a vogue and an equally swift fall from favor. This book shows her wide range of writing skills and reminds us of her talent and how her work has survived beyond the legend that sh...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Batgrl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, favorites-i-do-reread

Once upon a time I had this idea that one should read a book from start to finish, and if one was being particularly through that included the preface and any appendix. However that technique has often left me hanging in one part of a book (really wishing that I was reading another part, farther in) - and if it's a book of collected stories and poems, it's not really vital that you go in order.

I've also begun reading this book more than once and ended up hopping about and only reading bits and...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

The Portable Dorothy Parker is a 600 page tome filled with her short stories, poetry, articles, letters and more. If she wrote it, it’s probably in there. She had a sharp tongue, but also a brilliant talent for writing. Her short stories were usually tinged with tragedy, giving a weight to her words. One of my favorites is “The Game.”

This collection holds so many gems from Parker. It has her acidic poetry, her tragic short stories, letters to family and friends, book reviews and more. I loved r...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Lola rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, short-stories, essays, classic, poetry-free-verse, humor

After watching Gilmore Girls and hearing the Dorothy Parker reference, I naturally had to go out and read her. Here's what I have to say to GG: Thank you!!! This is an author I would've probably never found on my own, but I'm glad I found her. The Portable Dorothy Parker had short stories, verses, letters, book reviews, play reviews, and magazine articles written by Ms. Parker. All of these were delightful. I'm not usually someone to pick up short stories, but I found it to be a refreshing brea...more After watching Gilmore Girls and hearing the Dorothy Parker reference, I naturally had to go out and read her. Here's what I have to say to GG: Thank you!!! This is an author I would've probably never found on my own, but I'm glad I found her. The Portable Dorothy Parker had short stories, verses, letters, book reviews, play reviews, and magazine articles written by Ms. Parker. All of these were delightful. I'm not usually someone to pick up short stories, but I found it to be a refreshing break from reading novels.

Of all the short stories, my top three favorites had to be Big Blonde, Mr. Durant, and Lady with a Lamp. Though known for her cutting wit, all of Ms. Parker's short stories seem to have a charming sadness about them. I was simply in love with Hazel Morse. She was the quintessential Twenties girl, using men and throwing them away just as quickly as a means to live. She was Marilyn Monroe before there was Marilyn Monroe. Big Blonde may be one of Dorothy Parker's largest short stories, but it is by far the best. In fact, I believe she could've written a whole book on Hazel Morse. Mr. Durant and Lady with a Lamp both deal with the same subject matter but in different ways. Of the two stories, Lady with a Lamp is superior if only because of the way it is written. You only see one side of the conversation, which just makes the unraveling of events more interesting. Mr. Durant is good too, but I did want to slap him towards the end. It is the kind of story I'd want to analyze in English.

Of course, Parker's verses are wonderful and charming, gaining both laughs and tears out of her reader. I have so many favorites that I can't particularly pin one down. Parker takes all the drab out of normal poetry and breathes wit into it. Her verses tend to be about love and men, things she viewed as both good and bad. This would bother some people, but being a teenager girl, this suits me just fine.

For me, Dorothy Parker's real personality shines through her book reviews, magazine articles, and letters. My favorite article is called My Home Town. It's basically Ms. Parker's ode and defense of the city she loved so much. Being in love with New York City myself, I felt like she was speaking to my soul. Here's one of my favorite lines: "I suppose that is the thing about New York. It is always a little more than you had hoped for. Each day, there, is so definitely a new day. "Now we'll start all over," it seems to say every morning, "and come on let's hurry like anything." My other favorite line was this: "Other places may give you a sweet and soothing sense of level; but in New York there is always the feeling of "Something's going to happen." It isn't peace. But, you know, you get used to peace, and so quickly. And you never get used to New York." Truer words have never been said.

Final thoughts? Honestly, if Dorothy Parker were still alive and writing today, I would buy anything she published. Her wit is just as cutting and smart as it was back then. Highly recommended! (less)

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Oct 03, 2011 Ed Smiley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Because there are a lot of poems and short stories, they ranged between "I liked it" and "I liked it a lot, I gave it 4 stars.

Parker was a notorious wit. She is said to have, when working in Hollywood and in need of a date, appropriated a men's room sign and placed it outside her office door. Needless to say, she met a fair share that time, although a disproportionate amount may have suffered from bladder problems.

She also once stated that "brevity is the soul of lingerie." And noted: "If you wa...more

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About Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker was an American writer and poet, best known for her caustic wit, wisecracks, and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles.

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The Poetry and Short Stories of Dorothy Parker (Modern Library)

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