A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York (ArtPlace series) [Paperback]

Kevin C. Fitzpatrick (Author), Marion Meade (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: ArtPlace series | Publication Date: December 1, 2005

Taking the reader through the New York that inspired, and was in turn inspired by, the formidable Mrs. Parker, this guide uses rarely seen archival photographs from her life to illustrate Dorothy Parker's development as a writer, a formidable wit, and a public persona. Her favorite bars and salons as well as her homes and offices, most of which are still intact, are uncovered. With the charting of her colorful career, including the decade she spent as a member of the Round Table, as well as her intense private life, readers will find themselves drawn into the lavish New York City of the 1920s and 30s.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Part biography, part walking tour, Fitzpatrick's meticulously researched first book is an eye-opening account of the life and times of Dorothy Parker and a paean to Old Gotham. Parker's finest work, mostly of verse and short stories for The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, as well as her reign as Queen of the Algonquin round table of writers and wits, were integral to literary New York during the Prohibition era when, as writes Fitzpatrick, "the speakeasies are always hopping, the party is just beginning." This segment of Parker's life is well-known, and fans will enjoy using the photos and maps to find Parker's many apartments, the Algonquin Hotel, the first office of The New Yorker and The 21 Club, where connoisseurs of fine cocktails can still get a crisp Tom Collins (with non-bathtub gin, even). Casual Parker fans may not know about Parker's stint as New York's first female drama critic (for Vanity Fair), nor her leftist activism that led to her inclusion on McCarthy's black list. Fitzpatrick does an admirable job of summarizing these time periods in the writer's life, and also of capturing Parker's lonely last days, when Gloria Vanderbilt was one of her few friends. Less a guidebook than a loving testimonial and guide to a pioneering New York writer, this book will win Parker-and Fitzpatrick-new fans. Photos.
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About the Author

Kevin C. Fitzpatrick is the founder of the Dorothy Parker Society, which has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, National Geographic Traveler, and Time Out New York. He wrote, designed, and produced dorothyparkerNYC.com, which was named a 2001 Site of the Year by Yahoo! In conjunction with the Algonquin Hotel, he leads monthly walking tours of the former Round Table homes and haunts in Manhattan. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Roaring Forties Press; First Edition edition (December 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976670607
• ISBN-13: 978-0976670605
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #715,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am the president of the Dorothy Parker Society. I collect old books, lunchboxes and checks. My first book is "A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York" from Roaring Forties Press.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Must-have" for all fans of Parker and her era in New York, February 23, 2006

By 

David Trumbull (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York (ArtPlace series) (Paperback)

In his years running the Dorothy Parker Society of New York, Kevin Fitzpatrick has gathered astounding details about the New York of Dorothy Parker. Book in hand you walk where Mrs. Parker walked. And best of all, so many of the landmarks --the Algonquin hotel where Mr. Benchley and Mrs. Parker and their Round Table held forth, the apartment buildings in which she lived, the many of the theatres where she reviewed plays-- are still standing and look pretty much as they did in the 1920s and 30s. And for what has been lost Mr. Fitzpatrick supplies photos. The book is full of high-quality vintage photographs, some never before published.

The casual reader will find the book visual candy and a delight to read. The Parker or jazz-age scholar will find attention to detail and copious use of original source worthy of an academic tome, but written with a touch as light (and as insightful) as a Parker witicism.

I recommend it highly

DAVID TRUMBULL
Chairman, Robert Benchley Society

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Illustrations and Great Writing, December 6, 2005

By 

Constant Reader (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York (ArtPlace series) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful guide to the places Dorothy Parker lived and worked, this is not the same old information recycled. This is a great addition to the library of any fan or new reader of Mrs. Parker's work.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun and informative New York city 1920s history lesson, January 23, 2006

By 

Donna Hochhauser "donna coney island" (nyc, usa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York (ArtPlace series) (Paperback)

I luuuuuuved it! I thought the information, the history, the architecture, the photos, the trivia nuggets---everything was just so interesting and thought-provoking. I was especially struck by the list of sayings/words first attributed to Dorothy Parker. The book ties together so many aspects of New York City in the 1920s. It's educational and fun!