The Vicious Circle: Mystery and Crime Stories by Members of the Algonquin Round Table

by Otto Penzler (Editor)

With the possible exception of the expatriate writers living in Paris in the 1920s, no single group of American literary figures has achieved as much fame or notoriety as the New York sophisticates who met to match wits and attempt to outshine each other as members of what came to be called the Algonquin Round Table.

The humorists Robert Benchley and S. J. Perelman, playwrights Marc Connelly and George S. Kaufman, novelists Edna Ferber and Alexander Woollcott, and most famously, Dorothy Parker, were the literary luminaries who made up this group, and each one produced a piece or two of crime fiction at some point, which are collected for the first time in this anthology by acclaimed mystery editor Otto Penzler.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Fiction, Humor, Anthologies

205 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Otto Penzler is an editor of mystery fiction in the United States, and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City, where he lives.

Otto Penzler founded The Mysteriour Press in 1975 and was the publisher of The Armchair Detective, the Edgar-winning quarterly journal devoted to the study of mystery and suspense fiction, for seventeen years.

Penzler has won two Edgar Awards, for The Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection in 1977, and The Lineup in 2010. The Mystery Writers of America awarded him the prestigious Ellery Queen Award in 1994, and the Raven--the group's highest non-writing award--in 2003.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been sitting on my shelf forever, and I guess it took a global pandemic for me to pull it down and read it. The editor makes no bones about the wide variety of stories included in the book, and reading it in one sitting, as I did, made for a strange experience. Some of the stories are funny, some are subtly horrifying, and then there's Dorothy Parker's story, "The Big Blonde," which is very sad, but not exactly a mystery, so it doesn't really seem to fit. But who cares, since it is so powerful. The last time I read it, many years ago, I promised myself that I would not need to read it again, but be that as it may, it is a story that stands up to multiple readings.

The editor makes an interesting observation in the Introduction: Some of the "members" (there was no official membership, of course) were already productive and successful before the Round Table, while others became so after the Round Table broke up, but during the the height of the Round Table, none of them did much except drink and make jokes at one another's expense.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did since I enjoy the writings of many of the members of the Algonquin Round Table. But the stories are of uneven quality, and some of them are a stretch to be in a collection of mystery and crime stories. An example of this is Dorothy Parker’s “Big Blonde,” one of the strongest stories in the collection, but it’s the story of an unhappy woman who tries to kill herself. Ring Lardner, Alexander Woollcott, and Edna Ferber have enjoyable entries, but some of the material is pretty dated.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the writers are interesting, I found the pieces here not all that interesting... the first is great. The last two were fun as one referred to Frank Packard’s Jimmie Dale stories, and the last has a woman reading J.S. Fletcher and is part of someone’s story that is stolen later.

The trick to this is in the liking of the type of writing style of this time... the rapid fire, stand up comedian delivery of the 1920’s etc... sort of vaudeville in it’s style where the words must be constant or the audience will lose interest.

The idea that these could be mystery oriented is stretched a GREAT. I would consider many of these simply dramas vs mysteries.

So, if you like the authors listed, and you want to read perhaps some short stories that you may not find elsewhere, this could be a great book for you.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited when I found this book, since I love the Algonquin Round Table authors and it contains an interesting selection of short stories. Was especially pleased that Marc Connelly is included, because I've never read anything of his before.

However...

The book contains an introduction like all the collections of the various members of Algonquin Group. Why they add these introductions I don't know--b/c they're all the same. Petty, idiotic and negative. I've yet to read any anthology where I wasn't put in a bad mood by page 10 thanks to these editors or critics. So these authors were friends and celebrities in the 1920s, so most of them aren't read very much now, and yes, for the most part they fell out of vogue in the 50s or died young or followed the money to Hollywood or were blacklisted. So what?

For example, these snippets "it has often been noted that virtually none of them ever achieved the heights to which they seemed destined, their names largely lost to history" ... or "It would take a student of American literature to recall a single work by Dorothy Parker."

Newsflash! It's exceedingly rare for an author to be loved and feted FOREVER. Who really besides English majors read Tennyson, or Matthew Arnold, or Swinburne to name some authors & poets of note? My favorite Dorothy Parker-like critic, Cintra Wilson noted with celebrities, but I think this can be applied to anyone of note, that the public is only able to keep 52 in mind at a time, much like a pack of cards, and the deck is constantly being reshuffled or changed, and it's only the rare Joker cards that always remain.

So lots of people today don't bother to read Edna Ferber (and it took like two books before I grew to weirdly love her) or get hooked on Alexander Woolcott's stuffy prose, it doesn't lower their value or worth. Guess it's ironic that they shot to public consciousness because of their fame, and then when it evaporated over the years, they now get knocked for it.

[KristenR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently read Bobbed Hair and Bathtub Gin. While browsing the stacks at the library I was pleased to find this collection of short stories featuring some of the authors mentioned in that book.

I would love to find a short story collection where I liked everything that was included...probably will never happen. This is actually a 3.5 star book, but I couldn't bring myself to bump it up to 4. As usual there were stories I just didn't like, though the following were my favorites in this anthology:

Farewell, My Lovely Appetizer by S.J Perelman was funny spoof of a hard boiled detective story.

Big Blonde by Dorothy Parker - the longest story in this collection, a very sad and bitter account of one woman's life in the 20s.

The Man Who Came Back by Edna Ferber - I definitely want to read more by her.

Rien Ne Va Plus by Alexander Woollcott - very short, but very good story set in a casino.

I had never read anything by any of these authors, and now I will be adding much more to my to-read pile.

[Yenta Knows · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful collection of quick light stories. I gulped down the whole book in less than 24 hours. Only one story, Four and Twenty Blackjacks, by the highly regarded SJ Perelman, failed to hold my attention.

"Haircut" and "Stop Me--If You've Heard This One" both by Ring Lardner, were among my favorites. "Big Blonde" by Dorothy Parker was another standout.

"Haircut" is a wonderful example of the "dumb narrator" device: the narrator tells enough so that you, the reader, understand the events, while he, the narrator, remains blithely unaware of the story behind the story.

Many of the stories feature the young and rich at play in speakeasies, casinos, estates. Parker's "Big Blonde" is the only story that hints at the suffering behind these "sophisticated" lives.

[Amy Formanski Duffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title misled me somewhat. The members of the Algonquin Round Table were known for their wit and sarcasm, and that's what this collection contains. Calling them mystery or crime stories implies that they are serious in tone. Nope. These are goofy mockeries of crime stories.

Here's a quote from a Robert Benchley story:
"Following are the details, such as they are. You may take them or leave them. If you leave them, please leave them in the coat room downstairs and say that Martin will call for them."

So silly! Four stories in, I'm baffled, yet amused.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

always love reading stories by ring lardner, and dorothy parker. realized how much i don't enjoy perelman. some of it was tedious, and as another review suggests, they're not really crime stories, but hey, its a nice visit with a bunch of witty people.

[eely · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Coroner’s Inquest” by Marc Connelly - 4★

“The Mystery of the Poisoned Kipper” by Robert Benchley - 4★

“Farewell, My Lovely Appetizer” by S.J. Perelman - 4.5★

“Haircut” by Ring Lardner - 3★

“Moonlight Sonata” by Alexander Woollcott - 2.5★

“The Great Warburton Mystery” by George S. Kaufman & Howard Dietz - 4★

“Big Blonde” by Dorothy Parker - 3★

“Up the Close and Down the Stair” by S.J. Perelman - 2★

“The Man Who Came Back” By Edna Ferber - 3★

“Rien ne va Plus by Alexander Woollcott - 4★

“Four and Twenty Blackjacks” by S.J. Perelman - 1★

“Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One” by Ring Lardner - 4★

[Marilyn Fontane · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Vicious Circle edited by Otto Penzler is supposedly a collection of crime stories by members of the Algonquin Round Table, which Penzler himself admitted were mostly humorous. Well, as far as I read in the book, there were no crime stories and none that was particularly humorous. Some famous authors (Dorothy Parker, Edna Ferber, Rind Lardner, S. J. Perelman, Marc Connelly, Robert Benchley, Alexander Woolcott, George F. Kaufman) who should be ashamed to have these particular stories hit the light of day. Depressing!

[Fran Burdsall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of somewhat dated short stories. Although there are a few gems in the bunch, I found some very hard to follow and others unsatisfying. The story of the group itself was by far the most interesting part.

[Beth Levitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

As readers commented, the stories are uneven in their relationship to crime or mystery and probably not the best of some writers works. But there are a few I enjoyed - Rein Ne Va Pas, Coroner’s Inquest, and Big Blonde - plus reading the slang from the 1920s was a hoot.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed most of these stories. Quick and easy read!

[Maxine]

Snappy writing. Some of the shorter stories are gems, for me. Others feel like long winded set-ups for bleak punch lines. I guess much like life itself.
Rated just 3 stars because I had hoped for more mysterious stories, but as a collection without the "mystery and crime" qualifiers in the title I'd rate 4+.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book and an easy read. It's a nice idea, collecting short stories and mysteries from regulars around the Algonquin Round Table. My favorite parts were the introductory description of the Algonquin Table and the quotes collected from each author(most of the stories themselves are not that great). But who wouldn't love S.J. Perelman's quote after buying rural property in Bucks Co., PA, "A farm is an irregular patch of nettles bound by short-term notes, containing a fool and his wife who didn't know enough to stay in the city."?

[Alvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much as I revere the wits of the Algonquin round table (and I revere them a heckuva lot!) I'm forced to say this was a mixed bag of goods, none of which quite fit together. A few of the stories silly to the point of stupid (I'm looking at you Robert Benchley!) while the majority were fine, if rather slight. The two stand outs were Dorothy Parker, whose story was great (even if it wasn't actually a crime story but a mini-saga of keening existential despair), and Edna Ferber, whose story was so terrific I'm now tempted to look up her novels.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short stories by members of the Algonquin Round Table including Robert Benchley, S.J. Perelman, Marc Connelly, George Kaufman, Edna Ferber, Alexander Wollcott, and Dorothy Parker. These short stories were collected and edited by Otto Penzler the owner of Mysterious Bookstore in New York City and the founder of the Mysterious Press. True to the reputation of the Round Table, these stories were more humorous than mysterious.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mysteries and crime tales from various authors of the Algonquin Round Table. I thought "The Mystery of the Poisoned Kipper" was hilarious (my sister didn't get it), "Big Blond" depressing and too long (she skipped it altogether), and "Stop Me - If You've Heard This One" pretty funny (she didn't make it that far).
"Farewell, My Lovely Appetizer" was weird.
Some gems, some odd balls. Not what I'd recommend as an introduction to the group

[The Murderist · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good: The sheer force of talent at work in these stories is fantastic. Wit has never been sharper or more biting. A great primer to the work of those who participated in the Algonquin Round Table.

The Bad: Few of these stories are actually mysteries. Racist attitudes pop up occasionally (though they are not out of place considering the era).

[Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

- widely varied, in both quality and style, this quirky collection was still a worthwhile read
- featuring: Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, S.J. Perelman, George S. Kaufman, and Alexander Woolcott
- what I wouldn't give to have experienced an afternoon having lunch and drinks with these Round Table characters...

[Lynne Pennington · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I liked the premise and have been intrigued for ages about the Algonquin Round Table. With a couple of exceptions, I felt these stories did not age well. Good thing these famous writers have a whole body of work upon which to judge them since the stories in this book would do them no favors, in my opinion.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ring Lardner's "Haircut" is the best, followed by Dorothy Parker's O. Henry-prize-winning "Big Blonde" and S.J. Perelman's "Farewell, My Lovely Appetizer." Most stories, including "Big Blonde" however enjoyable and cleverly told, stretch the notion of "crime" and "mystery". Definitely worth a read for Algonquin Round Table enthusiasts and readers.

[Liz De Coster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the stories were better than others, but the real problem was that they were all so short. I would rather have had fewer authors featured, but longer stories. The stories - mostly about 5-10 pages - aren't enough to give a real impression of the authors' styles.

[Carole Prior · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, insight into the personal characteristics of the members of the Algonquin Round Table, though this is a collection of their individual mysteries several of them have written. Each story has a rather unique and fascinating turn of events to keep you guessing.

[Laurel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The editor's introduction was most accurate, "The stories in this collection range from the silly and lightweight to the poignant and profound." I found most of them silly and lightweight. The two Ring Lardner stories and the one Dorothy Parker were the best of the bunch.

[Carol Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to have been able to sit at the round table from time to time. I love the wit and cynicism that abounded.

[Alan Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

The funniest stories in the collection are by S. J. Perelman. I was somewhat disappointed by Dorothy Parker's story. It wasn't funny and it didn't seem to be particularly literary.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now those were some good bedtime stories.

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked almost every single one of the 12 short stories in this anthology. I was disappointed to say the least.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most stories told with an odd humor. Dorothy Parker's "Big Blonde" is the best, if a little depressing.