The Incomplete Dorothy Parker Reading Guide

Click here to readthe Kirkus Review

If your loved ones were thoughtful enough to give you bookstore gift cards this Christmas/Hanukkah/secular holiday, you may be thinking of expanding your Dorothy Parker library. Naturally, I hope that includes pre-ordering my new novel,  Dorothy Parker Drank Here (available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and IndieBound) or catching up on my last one, Farewell, Dorothy Parker (signed copies still available). But I'd like to present a non-comprehensive to guide to other books you should consider.


DOROTHY HERSELF
If you don't yet have a copy of The Portable Dorothy Parker, don't waste another second. This is a must-have collection of her poetry, stories, essays and reviews.
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound

BIOGRAPHY
Marion Meade's fascinating Dorothy Parker: What Fresh Hell is This is simply the best and most complete account of the great wit's life.
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound

This year Meade also published two short ebooks that are must-reads for the true Dorothy Parker fan. They are The Last Days of Dorothy Parker: The Extraordinary Lives of Dorothy Parker and Lillian Hellman and How Death Can Be Hell on Friendship and Alpine Giggle Week: How Dorothy Parker Set Out to Write the Great American Novel and Ended Up in a TB Colony Atop an Alpine Peak.

DRINKING
If no one thought to give you a copy of Under the Table: A Dorothy Parker Cocktail Guide as  gift,

buy it for yourself. It's a smart and charming edition by Dorothy Parker Society president Kevin Fitzpatrick.
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound

MORE FROM THE DOROTHY PARKER SOCIETY
Parker expert Kevin Fitzpatrick also wrote the entertaining and info-packed A Journey Into Dorothy Parker's New York and compiled her theater reviews into Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918-1923. His forthcoming The Algonquin Round Table New York: A Historical Guide also looks like a winner.

MYSTERY
Author J.J. Murphy wrote a beloved Algonquin Round Table Mystery series in which Dorothy Parker is a prominent figure.
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound

Of course, there are dozens more, including many Algonquin Round Table themed books. Please feel free to share your favorites in the comments.

Kirkus!

Love from Kirkus Reviews? I think this calls for a martini. Maybe two!

The ghost of Dorothy Parker meddles with the lives of mortals in this sequel from Meister (Farewell, Dorothy Parker, 2013). 

In the heyday of her career, Parker signed a guestbook that promised eternity. Against all odds, the claim turned out to be true, and now she haunts the famed Algonquin, greeting her friends after their deaths. They all go on to the afterlife, but not Dorothy. She’d much rather stay right there at the bar—but things are starting to get lonely. That’s where Ted Shriver comes in. A writer whose career plummeted after a plagiarism scandal, Ted is now dying of a brain tumor. If only Dorothy can convince him to sign the guestbook, she might just have some company. But things get a bit more complicated than she imagined. Norah Wolfe, an associate producer for a struggling television show, has her own reasons for wanting to talk to Ted. Neither of them will be able to get through to him unless they can help him tie up some loose ends…and maybe clear his name in the process. Meister’s Dorothy Parker is just as sharp, witty and pleasantly mean as fans would expect. Her humanity shines through, though, along with her humor. Her obvious loneliness, along with the dilemmas Ted and Norah face, make this a surprisingly emotional novel. 

Not even death can keep Dorothy Parker down in this sad and funny story.

Bringing Dorothy Parker Home for the Holidays

With the holidays upon us and the publication of DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE just around the corner, I thought this would be a good time to let you know you can still get someone a signed copy of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER.

Every copy of the trade paperback has been autographed, so no matter where you order from you are guaranteed to get a signed copy. There's nothing special you need to do. Just place an order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, Walmart or wherever you like to buy your books. Your order won't indicate that you're getting a signed edition, but I promise you'll receive something that looks very much like the books pictured here. (I went through bags of Sharpies, so the signature could be in a different color.)

Thanks! If you have any questions, give a holler.

Ellen

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement."
                    —Publishers Weekly

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Penguin

My Duck Story is in the New York Times Today

Something fun to wake up to! Here's a link to the online version. 

"All I have is a pile of paper covered with wrong words." - Dorothy Parker

Big thanks to Writer's Digest for inviting me to blog about the backstory to a certain telegram Dorothy Parker sent her editor. Click here to read it.

If you'd like a signed copy of Farewell, Dorothy Parker ...

What if inspiration came to visit ... and wouldn't leave?

My publisher informs me that we have about a three-month supply of autographed copies of Farewell, Dorothy Parker left. So if you would like one, please order soon.

How to order a signed copy

I signed every copy of the trade paperback that's in print. So as long as you order that edition by the end of September, you are guaranteed to get a signed copy. It doesn't matter whether you order from your favorite online bookseller or your local bookstore, your copy of Farewell, Dorothy Parker will arrive with my signature inside and a gold sticker on the cover. Your order won't indicate that it's signed, but as long as you order the paperback (not the hardcover) I promise it will arrive like the book pictured here (though the signature may be in another color--I went through several packages of Sharpies).

Where to buy it

The trade paperback edition is widely available in stores. To buy online, visit any cyber bookseller, including:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Walmart

Prefer the ebook?

Farewell, Dorothy Parker is also available in all ereader formats. Those are not signed, of course, but you can start reading immediately:
Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iTunes 

Note that the book is also available in audio format.

Thanks! If you have any questions, drop me a line.


 Ellen 

 "In this funny yet tender homage to Dorothy Parker, [Meister] resurrects the iconic wit of the literary legend."
                    —Library Journal

"Delicious entertainment." 
                    —Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement."
                    —Publishers Weekly

DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE!

In case you missed my earlier announcement ...

My new book--the prequel to Farewell, Dorothy Parker--will be published by Putnam on February 19!
Here's the promo copy from my publisher's website:

The acid-tongued Dorothy Parker is back and haunting the halls of the Algonquin with her piercing wit, audacious voice, and unexpectedly tender wisdom. 

Heavenly peace? No, thank you. Dorothy Parker would rather wander the famous halls of the Algonquin Hotel, drink in hand, searching for someone, anyone, who will keep her company on this side of eternity. 

After forty years she thinks she’s found the perfect candidate in Ted Shriver, a brilliant literary voice of the 1970s, silenced early in a promising career by a devastating plagiarism scandal. Now a prickly recluse, he hides away in the old hotel slowly dying of cancer, which he refuses to treat. If she can just convince him to sign the infamous guestbook of Percy Coates, Dorothy Parker might be able to persuade the jaded writer to spurn the white light with her. Ted, however, might be the only person living or dead who’s more stubborn than Parker, and he rejects her proposal outright.  

When a young, ambitious TV producer, Norah Wolfe, enters the hotel in search of Ted Shriver, Parker sees another opportunity to get what she wants. Instead, she and Norah manage to uncover such startling secrets about Ted’s past that the future changes for all of them.

If you haven't yet read the previous book, Farewell, Dorothy Parker, I hope you'll want to remedy that soon. If you buy the trade paperback edition, you're guaranteed to get a signed copy, no matter where you order from. It's also available in ebook and audio versions. Here are some links:

Paperback: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Walmart

Ebook: Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iTunes 

Audio: Amazon • Audible •B&N •  BAM • iTunes

Thanks!

_________________________________________
"I loved it ... Meister has caught the nuance and language of what I imagine to be the consummate Dorothy Parker."
                    —BookReporter.com 

"Delicious entertainment." 
                    —Cleveland Plain Dealer

 "In this funny yet tender homage to Dorothy Parker, [Meister] resurrects the iconic wit of the literary legend."
                    —Library Journal

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement."
                    —Publishers Weekly

My Special "Thank You" to Dorothy Parker Fans

I just announced a special program on my Dorothy Parker Facebook page. To show my appreciation for the all wonderful followers, I'm offering an opportunity to be thanked BY NAME in the acknowledgments section of my forthcoming book, DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE.

Click here for details.

Thanks!

Big News for Dorothy Parker Fans

Next week, Penguin Classics is releasing two new especials on Dorothy Parker, and they are must reads for every Dorothy Parker fan.

THE LAST DAYS OF DOROTHY PARKER: The Extraordinary Lives of Dorothy Parker and Lillian Hellman and How Death Can Be Hell on Friendship
 Dorothy Parker biographer Marion Meade shares insight into the last days in the life of Dorothy Parker—the horrible and the hilarious—including her colorful friendship with Lillian Hellman, and the bizarre afterlife of Parker’s remains from a file cabinet on Wall Street to a small burial site by the NAACP office in Baltimore.
 Only $2.99 on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and iTunes

ALPINE GIGGLE WEEK: How Dorothy Parker Set Out to Write the Great American Novel and Ended Up in a TB Colony Atop an Alpine Peak 
A little known, rediscovered letter: an SOS from a woman trapped on a Swiss mountaintop in a TB colony with no idea how to escape—that woman being Dorothy Parker.
Only $1.99 on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and iTunes

No ereader? No problem.
You can download a free Kindle app on any device, including your computer. Click here.

MORE GREAT NEWS
I'll be moderating an online Q&A with Marion Meade on my Facebook page. It's your chance to find out everything you ever wanted to know about Dorothy Parker.
Date:  Tuesday, May 27, 8:00 pm ET
Place: facebook.com/DorothyParkerQuotes

Announcing DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE!

It's official. My new book--the prequel to Farewell, Dorothy Parker--will be published by Putnam on February 19! (I've been working on this a while, but it's exciting to know I'm in the queue. This is when it starts to feel real.)

I can't reveal too much about the story at this point, except to say that the ghost of Dorothy Parker is once again the main character, and that most of the action takes place at the Algonquin Hotel. Dorothy Parker Drank Here will be my fifth published novel.

If you haven't yet read Farewell, Dorothy Parker, I hope you'll want to remedy that soon. If you buy the trade paperback edition, you're guaranteed to get a signed copy, no matter where you order from. It's also available in ebook and audio versions. Here are some links:

Paperback: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Walmart

Ebook: Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iTunes 

Audio: Amazon • Audible •B&N •  BAM • iTunes

Thanks!

_________________________________________
"I loved it ... Meister has caught the nuance and language of what I imagine to be the consummate Dorothy Parker."
                    —BookReporter.com 

"Delicious entertainment." 
                    —Cleveland Plain Dealer

 "In this funny yet tender homage to Dorothy Parker, [Meister] resurrects the iconic wit of the literary legend."
                    —Library Journal

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement."
                    —Publishers Weekly

Does your mom like books?

"Delicious entertainment." —Cleveland Plain Dealer

In my humble opinion, autographed books make great Mother's Day gifts. And if your mom is a Dorothy Parker fan--or just likes a past-paced story with "pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement" (Publishers Weekly)--I hope you'll consider buying her a copy of the trade paperback edition of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER.

"A fun, spunky, tension-ridden but endearing tale ... absolutely delightful!"  —The Best Reviews

Since every printed copy of this edition has my signature, you are guaranteed to get an autographed copy, with a gold sticker on the cover, no matter where you order from. (Note that your order won't indicate that it's a signed book, but as long as you buy it in trade paperback, I promise it will arrive with my signature. Click here for deets.)

Mother's Day is just around the corner, but if you order now you'll definitely get it in time. Here are some links:

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Penguin • Walmart


For more information, visit my website at ellenmeister.com. Thanks!

"Magical fun." —Booklist

“[Meister] reveals the pathos behind the pith, and she instructs readers about the enduring legacy of a writer who produced not just ‘scathing reviews, clever jokes, quotable poetry, and insightful short stories’ but also championed social causes. Classic Parker zingers sprinkled throughout the novel add sparkle.” —Washington Post

"The plot was so swift and the prose so clean and clear, I had the book done in the space of an afternoon. I'd highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy stories of the Algonquin Round Table and Dorothy Parker's legendary wit ... Solid A." —Butterfly Books 

"You don't have to know who Dorothy Parker was to truly appreciate this wonderful novel ... an enjoyable fun read with depth to the characters and a lovely portrayal of the wit of Dorothy Parker herself." —Luxury Reading

Still time to grab a signed copy of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement."—Publishers Weekly

Readers of this blog know that I spent several weeks signing the entire first printing of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER in trade paperback. My publisher tells me there are still signed books left, but supplies are getting low. So if you'd like one, please order asap.

If you order it this month, I promise that you will receive one these signed, first printing collectibles with a gold sticker. (Your online order won't indicate that it's signed, but as long as you buy it in paperback, you're good.)

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Penguin 

FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER is also in stores, so you can call your local bookstore to see if they have it in stock.

And if you want to read it right away on your e-reader, you can do that, too.

Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iTunes • Sony Reader

“I don't care what is written about me so long as it isn't true.” - Dorothy Parker

“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

_______________________________________________________

 "Hooray for Ellen Meister! In a miracle of fine writing with Farewell, Dorothy Parker, a novel of infinite charm, she has brought the inimitable, witty and acerbic Dorothy Parker back to gin swilling life." —BookTrib

"Meister honors Dorothy Parker, her still-fresh political convictions, and her body of witty, insightful work in this very nice literary romp ... I loved it ... Meister has caught the nuance and language of what I imagine to be the consummate Dorothy Parker."—BookReporter.com 

 "In this funny yet tender homage to Dorothy Parker, [Meister] resurrects the iconic wit of the literary legend." —Library Journal 

“[Meister] reveals the pathos behind the pith, and she instructs readers about the enduring legacy of a writer who produced not just ‘scathing reviews, clever jokes, quotable poetry, and insightful short stories’ but also championed social causes. Classic Parker zingers sprinkled throughout the novel add sparkle.” —Washington Post 

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement."—Publishers Weekly

One of the year's ten best essays!

I was very proud that the Wall Street Journal chose my Speakeasy essay about Dorothy Parker as one of the years's 10 best.

Check it out.

Something different for Valentine's Day ...

___________________________

"Park yourself in a comfy chair, suspend disbelief and get ready for some delicious entertainment delivered by Ellen Meister’s Farewell, Dorothy Parker." 
—Cleveland Plain Dealer
____________________________

If your sweetheart is a reader, I hope you'll consider buying one of these signed, collectible edition copies of Farewell, Dorothy Parker. I personally autographed every single copy of the trade paperback edition first printing. So no matter where you purchase it from--your local bookstore or online--you are guaranteed to get a signed book with a gold sticker on the cover.

Note that when you order it online there won't be any indication that it's autographed. But I promise you, from the bottom of my cramped fingers, that it is. Here are links for ordering this trade paperback online:

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Penguin 

___________________________________________________
Farewell, Dorothy Parker
When it comes to movie reviews, critic Violet Epps is a powerhouse voice. But that’s only because she’s learned to channel her literary hero Dorothy Parker, the most celebrated and scathing wit of the twentieth century. If only Violet could summon that kind of strength in her personal life.

Violet visits the Algonquin Hotel in an attempt to find inspiration from the hallowed dining room, where Dorothy Parker and so many other famous writers of the 1920s traded barbs, but she gets more than she bargained for when Parker’s feisty spirit rematerializes. An irreverent ghost with problems of her own—including a refusal to cross over to the afterlife—Mrs. Parker helps Violet face her fears, becoming in turn mentor and tormentor…and ultimately, friend.

Snow day surprise

Paperback reprints of hardcover books don't often get newspaper reviews, so I was delighted to get a Google alert about this piece in the Cleveland Plain Dealer ...

You can read the rest here.

Note that signed paperbacks are still available:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Penguin 

You can also read it right away on any ereader:
Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iTunes • Sony Reader

Signed copies of Farewell, Dorothy Parker are still available!

___________________________

"Meister skillfully translates the rapier-like wit of the Algonquin Round Table to modern-day New York ... [with] pathos, nuanced characters, plenty of rapid-fire one-liners, and a heart-rending denouement." —Publishers Weekly
____________________________

Good news for anyone who wants a signed copy of Farewell, Dorothy Parker. I personally autographed every single copy of the trade paperback edition first printing. So no matter where you purchase it from--your local bookstore or online--you are guaranteed to get a signed book with a gold sticker on the cover.

Note that when you order it online there won't be any indication that it's autographed. But I promise you, from the bottom of my cramped fingers, that it is. Here are links for ordering this first edition trade paperback online:

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • Penguin 

Also note that you can start reading it right away on any ereader, though I haven't quite figured out how to sign those. Still, here are links for downloading: Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iTunes • Sony Reader

 "Meister honors Dorothy Parker, her still-fresh political convictions, and her body of witty, insightful work in this very nice literary romp ... I loved it ... Meister has caught the nuance and language of what I imagine to be the consummate Dorothy Parker." —BookReporter.com 

 "In this funny yet tender homage to Dorothy Parker, [Meister] resurrects the iconic wit of the literary legend." —Library Journal 

"Magical fun." —Booklist 

 "The plot is tightly constructed and just when we are settling in for a predictable turn, it weaves left or right, giving the story yet one more twist .... The result is a charming book, especially for lovers of Ms. Parker, who get to spend some quality time with her." —Neworld Review 

 "Meister captured Parker’s sarcasm, wit, and self deprecating voice extremely well. The book is well-written ... a fast-moving story." —Westchester Guardian 

"A fun, spunky, tension-ridden but endearing tale ... absolutely delightful!" —The Best Reviews

“[Meister] reveals the pathos behind the pith, and she instructs readers about the enduring legacy of a writer who produced not just ‘scathing reviews, clever jokes, quotable poetry, and insightful short stories’ but also championed social causes. Classic Parker zingers sprinkled throughout the novel add sparkle.” —Washington Post

 "Hooray for Ellen Meister! In a miracle of fine writing with Farewell, Dorothy Parker, a novel of infinite charm, she has brought the inimitable, witty and acerbic Dorothy Parker back to gin swilling life." —BookTrib