This Friday is Dorothy Parker’s birthday, and the Dorothy Parker Society is having parties in New York and the Catskills to celebrate. But a recent review of the new book Dorothy Parker Complete Broadway, 1918-1923, makes me want to recommend it as a birthday present from Dottie to you. Los Angeles playwright Steven Vlasak wrote:
If you love Dorothy Parker, then you’ll have a major crush on this new book compiled by Parker expert Kevin Fitzpatrick. It reveals almost 400 pages of “new” Parker wit not seen since originally published during the Roaring Twenties. It’s from early in her career, before her award winning short stories, well known humorous poems, and screenplays, but her voice is already clear, unique, and hilarious. I sprung for the hardcover, since I expect to be referring to it often. There’s lots of new zingers in here, and thank God, since I think most of us have all heard the old ones plenty. And thus I’ll refrain from any mention of leading a “horticulture.” It’s really a complete history of old Broadway, right up there with Moss Hart’s “Act One,” and includes 75 additional pages of footnotes, an embarrassment of riches, and a theatre education in themselves. I loved every minute of reading it, and was sad when the whole affair was over.
I hope the book is on your shelf soon.