THE LATE MRS. DOROTHY PARKER

by Leslie Frewin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 25, 1986

A fine, flamboyant biography. Parker once described herself as ""just a little Jewish girl, trying to be cute."" Well, perhaps. She was little--a scant five-feet-tall. And she was, in fact, half Jewish--the family name was Rothschild; her mother was Protestant. Whether she was ""cute"" depends on which definition of the word you choose--""attractive, esp. by reason of delicacy"" or ""obviously straining for effect."" Most readers of this first full account of the life of the Jazz Age Madame de Stael will opt for the latter definition. Parker was brilliant, brittle, an unmitigated show-off, outrageous, infuriating--in short, a fascinating pain. Whether you are regaled or repelled, however, there is little chance you will find her story anything but riveting. Frewin's book, as might be expected, is peppered with snappy repartee, sophisticatedly world-weary verses, the hi-jinks, put-downs and send-ups by members of the much-publicized Algonquin ""Round Table"" (who Parker later characterized as ""just a bunch of loudmouths""). Wisely, though, it also investigates the darker side of Parker's life--her repeated suicide attempts, her disastrous marriages and love affairs, the abortions, the escalating alcoholism, her growing paranoia and eventual reclusiveness. What could have been just another ""glitter and giggles"" saga becomes, in Frewin's adept hands, a balanced, fully-rounded portrait of a woman who didn't give a damn about anyone--particularly herself. After an inexplicably overwritten ""Prologue,"" Frewin gets his adjectives under control and turns out a smoothly-written, admirably organized account of his subject's passage from ""bewitched"" to ""bothered"" to ""bewildered,"" from early celebrity to final despair. If there is one quibble, it lies in Frewin's somewhat pedantic attempts to summarize world developments, both artistic and political, during the period. For the most part, though, the narrative speeds along, filled alternately with hilarity and heartbreak. Whether the reader can, in the end, find it possible to sympathize will depend on his or her breadth of understanding. Frewin has depicted Parker's many contradictory facets and leaves the final evaluation to others. The result is an even-handed depiction of a very difficult lady who could inspire love, hate or fear but who couldn't (and wouldn't) be ignored.

Pub Date: Nov. 25, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1986

Categories: NONFICTION