Gems from Dorothy Parker's book reviews

Clever insights and delicious barbs

Today’s Literary Ladies Lite Sunday edition presents a selection of gems from Dorothy Parker's book reviews from the venerable publication.

Dorothy Parker applied her way with words and rapier wit to the book reviews she wrote as "Constant Reader" for the New Yorker from 1927 to 1933 and for Esquire from 1957 to 1962.

Parker appreciated a well written book and beautifully turned phrase. She wasn't always prickly, but was definitely the most fun to read when her talons came out. Here are selected gems from some of her New Yorker and Esquire reviews.

My favorite: Her classic line summing up her reaction to The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne: “Tonstant Weader fwowed up.”

The first one, wow — does this sound like someone we’ve been forced to listen to ad nauseam lately? Must be a certain type …

The Socialist Looks at Literature

Upton Sinclair is his own King Charles’ head. He cannot keep himself out of his writings, try though he doesn’t. Let him start off upon an essay on a subject miles away from his own concerns, and in half a minute there he’ll be, popping up between the sentences with a tale of some old but still throbbing grievance, or of some recent wrong that has been worked upon him.   (December, 1927)