Which novel should be thrown with great force?

February 1, 2007 1:00 PM

When Dorothy Parker said "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." to what novel was she referring?

Google found me a ton of pages that list this quotation, but so far I can't find any context.

posted by hihowareyou to media & arts (5 answers total)

It was quoted in The Algonquin Wits, but that doesn't identify which book she was reviewing. A similar question came up at the Wikipedia ref desk three years ago.
posted by Paragon at 1:15 PM on February 1, 2007

Wikipedia backs up my googling that it appeared in The Algonquin Wits, in reference simply to "Book Review."

I'd do an Amazon inside the book search on that, but Amazon is blocked in my office. But there's a start.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:21 PM on February 1, 2007

It was Benito Mussolini's The Cardinal's Mistress, which was originally published serially as Claudia Particella, l'amante del cardinale.
posted by bradlands at 1:21 PM on February 1, 2007

This google book search confirms Bradlands.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:28 PM on February 1, 2007

Thanks everyone!
posted by hihowareyou at 1:29 PM on February 1, 2007