Dorothy Parker’s literary prowess reveals a razor-sharp wit in this original collection of twelve short stories, published between 1922 and 1927 in the top literary magazines of the day, including The Smart Set, The New Yorker, and The New Republic. These superbly crafted satirical stories, rich with keen insights into human nature, illuminate the pretentious absurdities within relationships between men and women — in and outside of marriage, the politics of patriarchy and power, the subordination of women, and observations of class and race. An excellent sampling of Parker’s acerbity rooted in an intimate realism and subtle feminism, this collection of early works features some of Parker’s best-known tales, including “Arrangement in Black and White,” “Mr. Durant,” “Such a Pretty Little Picture,” and “The Last Tea.”

This is an original collection of Parker's first 12 published stories. "The Wonderful Old Gentleman" (1926) was originally subtitled "A Story Proving that No One Can Hate Like a Close Relative" and should be noted as such for this edition.