Horsie

by Dorothy Parker

What can you say, when a man asks you to dance with him? I most certainly will not dance with you. I’ll see you in hell first. Why, thank you, I’d like to awfully, but I’m having labor pains.

Acerbic, pithy and vibrant, Dorothy Parker’s writings capture the dizzying decadence of Jazz Age New York. Though Parker refuses to be swept along: she gleefully deconstructs its hypocrisy, prejudice and taboos with style and precision.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Dorothy Parker was an American writer, poet and critic best known for her caustic wit, wisecracks, and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles. From a conflicted and unhappy childhood, Parker rose to acclaim, both for her literary output in such venues as The New Yorker and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. Following the breakup of the circle, Parker traveled to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting. Her successes there, including two Academy Award nominations, were curtailed as her involvement in left-wing politics led to a place on the Hollywood blacklist.
Dismissive of her own talents, she deplored her reputation as a "wisecracker." Nevertheless, her literary output and reputation for her sharp wit have endured.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories and poems. Most of the Short stories were 5 star reads, I will have to read a full novel of hers. They are funny, intricate and filled with irony.

1. The Lovely Leave 5/5
2. From The Diary Of A New York Lady 2/5
3. Mr Durant 4/5
4. The Standard Of Living 5/5
5. The Waltz 5/5
6. Horsie 4/5
7. The Little Hours 3/5
8. Big Blonde 5/5

Poems: Okay but not my cup of tea
Really liked the poem Résumé

[C.W. Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

she is so damn funny. absolute icon

[Melanie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written collection of short stories and I wouldn’t call them funny as someone had said in a review. The themes follow abuse, insecurity, and suicide. It’s dark and the poems are as well. I guess I can say I found this book relatable in a comical way, how often society pressures love, happiness, desire, and beauty- creating a repetitive pattern of sadness.

[Sara Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The woman is an utter delight 🤩

[Alexa Van Dusen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously 5 stars, Dorothy Parker cannot be beat. She is so snide and smart without relying on dated humour. Stories still remain relevant and frankly hilarious. She has such a unique, poetic voice in each story that seems to perfectly align with her characters and the joke we are all in on.

[Sleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

the lovely leave : 4/5
From the diary of a New York lady: 2/5
The Durant: 5/5
The standard of living: 2/5
The Waltz: 5/5
Horsie: 3/5
The little hours: 3/5
Big Blonde: 4/5
Her short stories are a hit or miss for me , some sticked with me for a while, while others were just okay. Like I got that they were good quality wise, they just didnt interest me so much

The poems : 10/5 , this is not a typing error , her poems are wow
Dorothy Parker convinced me a certified poetryphobe to read poetry. She's so witty and sarcastic, as are her novels. I dont understand poems often , but I got these ones without them loosing in quality.

[Rich Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ate up Parker's style throughout her stories. Defo worth a read for that alone. A couple of the stories were a bit forgettable but I was still happily reading them because of Parker's phraseology. There's one image of raindrops on a window that merge together that was perfect.

Fave stories:
- The Lovely Leave
- The Waltz
- Big Blonde


Bonus note for the poems. Just as fun and punchy. The Willow especially stood out

[Rick Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy Parker's writing leaves you laughing and sad at the same time...her protagonists are all good at masking shame, boredom, and fury with bite, humor, and a breezy attitude. Her writing definitely arises from 1930's New York, but it is so timeless, and the life in her writing is a bracing wind.

[Turab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estranged and domestic, shes a genius and one of a kind. The story called the little hours is one of my favourite short stories, the insanity and gas lighting the character does to justify their sleeplessness and the way its disarrayed and intentionally compulsive, prooves how intentionally dorothy is with her words to demonstrate such disorientation and atmosphere.

[Hannah Contreras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp as always. The short stories were really quite good, but the poetry was a bit so-so. Wendy Cope does better humorous work to me. Some of the content was pretty depressing, which I guess I should have expected, but it was depressing in a particularly specific way, one that to my mind lent a bit of insight into Parker’s own mind.

[Jeni Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a pleasure to be introduced to Dororthy Parker's writing through these short pieces. A few were very excellent, and a couple were a little disappointing - but overall, a quite enjoyable short introduction to her work.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archive #35

Witty and sharp!
Dorothy taps into pretty nasty features of the human psyche in this book but portrays them with satisfying acerbity. She was quick witted and in that quickness you end up speeding through the stories yourself. A delightful read!

[Rupert · Rating 4 out of 5]

horsie

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

"So I'm thinking of throwing the battle -
Would you kindly direct me to hell?"

[Payson Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

i too crash out when my nails look horrible

[Mairead · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice

[Zoe Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny and clever- “constant use had not worn ragged the fabric of their friendship”

[lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Dorothy Parker’s writing

[megan mckay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lewis Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to dip in and out of, collection of short (comic?) stories. Some easier to get into the author's voice than others

[Louise Boutelliez · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a genius. perfect mix of Undine Spragg, Sagan, and Mitford. witty witty woman

[Elsa Leo · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the poetry, the short stories mostly just made me depressed.

[Samadrita Kanjilal · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had the power to give more stars here, I would have done that! What a ride! Read such a lovely piece after so long!

[Joachim · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

A collection of short stories and poems. A bit mixed, but also educating on life in the early 1900s. Horsie the short story itself and the poems were the highlights for me.

[Lucas Spierung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meerde korte verhalen. The diary of a new York lady, The Waltz vond ik erg leuk en Horsie zelf was een banger. De rest was wel ok maar niet heel bijzonder.

[Finley Lane McElroy · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

3.25/5 | physical
Been meaning to read Dorothy Parker for ages. Her short stories are quite funny, the poetry didn’t do much for me though

[Dieguits · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt so chic reading Dorothy Parker in the subway, as I should!!!