Dorothy Parker

Born Dorothy Rothschild in West End, New Jersey, on August 22, 1893, she became one of the most recognizable literary voices of her time. She wrote poetry, short stories, reviews, and essays, and was especially admired for her quick wit and her clear-eyed view of modern urban life.

Parker was closely associated with New York literary culture and is often linked with the Algonquin Round Table, the famous circle of writers and critics. Her work appeared in major magazines, and collections such as Enough Rope helped make her widely read. She also worked in screenwriting, and sources note that she was among the writers credited on A Star Is Born.

Behind the sparkle of the one-liners was a writer with real emotional range. Her best work balances humor with loneliness, disappointment, and social observation, which is part of why it still feels fresh. She died in New York City on June 7, 1967, but her voice remains one of the sharpest and most quoted in American literature.