The Portable Dorothy Parker

More about the book

This second revision in sixty years presents a sublime collection of verse, stories, essays, and journalism from one of the twentieth century's most quotable authors. It includes new stories like "Such a Pretty Little Picture," alongside articles from diverse publications such as Vogue, McCall's, House and Garden, and New Masses. Central to her serious work are her political writings on race, labor, and international issues; notable pieces include "Soldiers of the Republic," "Not Enough," and "Sophisticated Poetry, And the Hell With It," all originally published in New Masses. The collection offers a blend of the sublime and the silly, featuring a tasting menu of various genres, including a speech on writing and a spontaneous rhyme she never documented. "Self-Portrait" reprints a 1956 interview with the Paris Review, part of a celebrated series that allowed writers to edit their transcripts, resulting in engaging mini autobiographies. Additionally, "Letters: 1905-1962" could be subtitled "Mrs. Parker Completely Uncensored," showcasing correspondence spanning fifty years, starting with a letter from twelve-year-old Dottie to her father during a summer vacation and concluding with a 1962 note from Hollywood expressing her admiration for Marilyn Monroe.