A collection of three short stories by the inimitable poet and author of Enough Rope.
With her biting wit and deep insight into human nature, Dorothy Parker expertly captured the vanities, longings, and decadence of the Roaring Twenties. This volume collects three of her most beloved short stories, including the “The Sexes,” “Dusk Before Fireworks,” and “Big Blonde.”
The title story presents an intimate portrait of Hazel Morse, a former dress model who spent her youth enjoying the attention of men. She now looks back at that time years later as her charms begin to fade. All three stories explore how—in an age of liberation, freedom, and adventure—a woman’s fate often remained in men’s hands.Dorothy Parker was an American poet, writer, critic, and satirist best known for her wisecracks and eye for twentieth-century urban foibles. She garnered early acclaim for her literary works published in magazines such as the New Yorker and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. Following the breakup of the group, Parker traveled to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting, earning two Academy Award nominations. However, this success was curtailed when Parker’s involvement in left-wing politics resulted in her being blacklisted. Though she notoriously deplored her reputation as a "wisecracker," her reputation for sharp wit has endured.