In the spirit of the other review of these short stories, I felt that Dorothy deserved at least two comments. The first time I read these, many years ago, I thought that they were slashingly funny, and masterpieces of the short story form. Now, I am a bit less convinced. They are funny, true, but they are also cruel, and one wonders if underneath the ultimate target isn't the writer herself -- a view that probably reads too much in from her bio. Still, now that I am older if not wiser, I definitely prefer Ms. Parker's poetry to her stories. ( )

Seeing that no one had yet reviewed Dorothy Parker's short stories, I figured I better jump in. Parker's writing style is literate but lean, no tortured sentences or ponderous metaphor. She skewers the self-important in the society of her day with verve and legendary wit. Hypocrites, egotists, and philistines must have shuddered in her wake -- if they weren't too self-absorbed to recognize themselves in her pages. Her stories are delicious little bonbons, short and quickly read, a treat. ( )