Portable Dorothy Parker- which page corners should be turned down before sharing w/ a 15yr old girl?

Cafe Society
1

O.K. Confession: I know Dorothy Parker more by reputation than by experience.

I have always loved the “idea” of Dorothy Parker, and I know the famous quotes- “Thrown with great force”, “A to B”, “All my eggs into one bastard”, “Laid end to end”- but I’ve never delved too deeply (deeper delving has long been on my to-do list).

Still, there’s a 15 year old girl in my life who I kinda think is ready for some Dorothy Parker. She’s an artist herself- of many media including short stories and poetry- and she’s got a sense of humor that I know will be excited by Parker. So, I bought The Portable Dorothy Parker as a Christmas gift.

Between now and when I wrap the gift tomorrow night, I’ll be turning down the corners of pages on items to get her started (no, I won’t really turn down the corners, don’t worry, I’ll just put in some mini Post-its). So, help me get started. Which items should be brought to her attention?

What’s in this collection? Well, if it’s Dorothy Parker and it’s something you think might be in a Dorothy Parker collection then you can pretty well assume it is in this collection. This thing is over 600 pages long. It’s split into three sections: “The Original Portable as Arranged by Dorothy Parker in 1944”, “Other Writings”, and “A Dorothy Parker Sampler”. It’s got short stories, poems, book reviews, personal letters, etc.

So, you’re introducing a 15 year old girl to Dorothy Parker. Which pages do you turn the corners down on?

P.S. This is my roommate’s daughter so, living together, I will luckily have plenty of opportunity to share the book and finally acquaint myself as I am long overdue!

2

Three to start:

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,
A medley of extemporanea;
And love is a thing that can never go wrong;
And I am Marie of Romania.

Oh, gallant was the first love, and glittering and fine;
The second love was water, in a clear white cup;
The third love was his, and the fourth was mine;
And after that, I always get them all mixed up.

"In youth, it was a way I had,
To do my best to please.
And change, with every passing lad
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know
And do the things I do,
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you."

3

I vote for just giving her the book and letting her discover the gems on her own.

4

Yeah, I’m not sure why the Post-Its.

5

bienville writes:

> . . . I know the famous quotes- “Thrown with great force” . . .

There’s a long thread (and probably actually a couple of them) on the SDMB where we tried to figure out where she said that, and we failed. It may be an apocryphal quote.

6

When I was young and given books of poetry or short stories, the gift-giver would always mark favorites. It made the gift more personal, fashioned specific points of bonding between us. For this girl and for her sister, both of whom I’ve known since they were in utero, I’ve done the same thing as they’ve been growning up.

In addition to the Dorothy Parker book this Chirstmas, I’m also giving her Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay. I’m marking the Millay book myself because I am familiar enough to already have personal favorites.

Yes. It does strike me that marking “favorites” when I’m not very familiar with the work actually fails to do proper justice to the personal nature of the tradition. But I am just so used to the practice that it seems off not to. And, of course, I am not simply going to blindly forward all of the SDMB’s suggestions. I’ll be paging through the book and the slections I mark will be selections that do indeed strike a chord with me personally and/or slections that seem to fit the person receiving the gift.

7

I think “eggs/bastard” might be apocryphal too. But they’re both so damn good.

8

If she’s got a dark side (and what 15 yr old artsy kid doesn’t?) , I’d mark “Resumé”

*Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren’t lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live. *

9

Here is what is apparently the most recent of these threads. The first post contains links to two earlier discussions.

10

Well, I did Post-It strips for both the Parker book and the Millay book and she was delighted that I had done so. As I said, when I was growing up I received books similarly marked from people special to me and while these two girls have been growing up I have done the same and they appreciate it in the same way I had appreciated it done for me.

I had a wonderful time on Christmas Eve day reading through, carefully not bending the spine too much. I had never read any of her short stories, and I happy to have taken the opportunity. I read some of her personal letters, her book review of The House at Pooh Corner, and an essay from the mid-30s urging Americans to take an interest in the evils of growing fascism in Europe . . . and I read many wonderful poems. I’m glad the book, once gifted away, still remains in the apartment I live in.

Sam A. Robrin, “to hell, my love, with you” got a Post-it strip.
Politzania, “Resumé” got flagged as well (this is one I was already familiar with and fond of!).

11

*I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I’m under the table,
after four I’m under my host. *

12

…could you kindly direct me to Hell?

13

If all the girls at the Yale prom were laid end-to-end…I wouldn’t be at all surprised.

14

None. Never turn down the page corners of a book – it’s next to vandalism. Use bookmarks or post-it notes.

15

Tonstant Weader fwowed up.

16

Oh, balls. Turn down the corners, scribble notes in the margin, underline favorite phrases - if any of that adds to her enjoyment of literature, go to! The words are the important bit; the book is just the packaging.

17

A) F-Minus for failing to read the OP. B)It’s not your book, so relax.

18

Years ago, my chorus sang a trio of Parker’s poetry set to music. This was one of them. There were a few polite giggles, but most of the audience was underwhelmed.

19

“My love runs by like a day in June,
And he makes no friends of sorrows.
He’ll tread his galloping rigadoon
In the pathway of the morrows.
He’ll live his days where the sunbeams start,
Nor could storm or wind uproot him.
My own dear love, he is all my heart, –
And I wish somebody’d shoot him.”