100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

New on the blog! 🇯🇵 Japanese Healing Fiction & ☕ The Perfect Winter Reads

The Custard Heart

Series: Penguin Modern
3.67 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,872 ratings, 242 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Custard Heart is a sharp and satirical story by Dorothy Parker that delves into the trivialities and superficial nature of high society. It follows a woman who relies on her charm and social connections to navigate her opulent life, often ignoring deeper emotional and personal issues. The narrative highlights Parker's keen wit and her critique of the superficial aspects of social status.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$299
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate sharp wit and incisive observations about human nature. Dorothy Parker's storytelling offers a blend of humour and poignancy, capturing the complexities of interpersonal relationships and the often ironic twists of life. It's a delightful read for those who relish clever dialogue and richly drawn characters.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry.

She felt a cozy solidarity with the big company of the voluntary dead.

Wise-cracking and heartbreaking, these tales of women on the edge by the legendary wit Dorothy Parker show the darkness beneath the surface of the Jazz Age.

Series: Penguin Modern

View all
  • Create Dangerously
    Create Dangerously by Albert Camus is a compelling and thought-provoking collection of essays that delve into the intricate relationship between art and society. Written with the precision and eloquence that only Camus can offer, this collection is a profound exploration of the artist's duty in a time of sociopolitical turmoil. The title essay, "Create Dangerously," lays bare the inherent risks...
    Paperback
    $299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Investigations of a Dog
    Investigations of a Dog by Franz Kafka presents a unique and imaginative journey into the mind of a canine philosopher. Through the eyes of a curious and introspective dog, Kafka dissects the intricacies of existence, perception, and the limits of understanding. The narrator, a dog deeply engrossed in the quest for knowledge, embarks on a thoughtful exploration of his world,...
    Paperback
    $299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Dark Days
    Dark Days by James Baldwin is a powerful collection of essays that vividly reflects on Baldwin's own experiences of racial prejudice and systemic injustice in mid-20th century America. As a seminal voice in the civil rights movement, Baldwin unflinchingly explores the deeply entrenched racism that pervades society and envisions a more equitable and hopeful world. Through these searing essays, Baldwin...
    Paperback
    $699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. I am Black and lesbian, and what you hear in my voice is fury, not suffering. From the self-described 'black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet', these soaring, urgent essays on the power of women, poetry and anger...
    Paperback
    $499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Letter from Birmingham Jail
    Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail is an incisive and inspiring piece of writing that remains a touchstone in the history of civil rights and social justice. Composed in 1963 while King was imprisoned for his participation in nonviolent protests against racial segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, the letter is a powerful and eloquent defence of civil disobedience in...
    Paperback
    $299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Distance of the Moon
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. Time is a catastrophe, perpetual and irreversible. Science and fiction interweave delightfully in these playful Cosmicomic short stories.
    Paperback
    $299
    Backorder
    Ships early August
  • Notes on Nationalism
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. 'The general uncertainty as to what is really happening makes it easier to cling to lunatic beliefs.' Biting and timeless reflections on patriotism, prejudice, and power, from the man who wrote about his nation better than...
    Paperback
    $299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • I Have More Souls Than One
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. I Have More Souls Than One showcases the poignant poetry of Fernando Pessoa. In these verses: 'But no, she's abstract, is a bird Of sound in the air of air soaring, And her soul sings unencumbered...
    Paperback
    $299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Notes on Camp
    In Notes on Camp, Susan Sontag explores the intriguing and often misunderstood aesthetic of "camp," delving into the reasons why certain art forms, fashion, and cultural expressions resonate uniquely with audiences. Through incisive analysis and sharp insights, Sontag unravels the complex interplays between taste, irony, and exaggerated style. This essay is a compelling exploration of the pseudo-serious, the extravagant, and...
    Paperback
    $699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Missing Girl
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. "Of course, no one would want to say anything about a girl like this that's missing..." Malice, paranoia, and creeping dread lie beneath the surface of ordinary American life in these chilling miniature masterworks of unease....
    Paperback
    $299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Fame
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. Good b.o means good "box office." You can smell it from a mile away The legendary sixties New York pop artist Andy Warhol presents hilarious and insightful vignettes and aphorisms on the topics of love, fame,...
    Paperback
    $699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Garden of Forking Paths
    Fifty new books at £1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetry. Summer was drawing to a close, and I realized that the book was monstrous. Fantastical tales of mazes, puzzles, lost labyrinths, and bookish mysteries, from the unique imagination of a literary magician.
    Paperback
    $299
    Backorder
    Ships mid August

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Custard Heart by Dorothy Parker has been praised for its sharp wit and keen insight into human relationships. Readers often highlight Parker's ability to capture the nuances of social interactions with her signature blend of humour and cynicism. The collection is frequently admired for its timeless quality and the way it delves into the complexities of love and heartbreak.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241339589

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 February 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 5.0mm

Width: 111.0mm

Height: 161.0mm

Weight: 47g

Pages: 64

About the Author

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was a celebrated poet, short story writer, critic, and an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. Much of her work was published in magazines including Vanity Fair and The New Yorker.

Also by Dorothy Parker

View all
  • The Collected Dorothy Parker
    Dorothy Parker, more than any of her contemporaries, captured the spirit of her age in her writing. The decadent 1920s and 1930s in New York were a time of great experiment and daring for women. For the rich, life seemed a continual party, but the excesses took their emotional toll. With a biting wit and perceptive insight, Dorothy Parker examines...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Big Blonde
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics – irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Dorothy Parker was the most talked-about woman of the decadent 1920s, notorious as a hard-drinking bad girl with a talent for endlessly quotable one-liners. In the stories collected here, she brilliantly captures the spirit of...
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Horsie
    90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books 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 labour pains. Acerbic, pithy and vibrant, Dorothy Parker's writings capture the dizzying decadence of...
    Paperback
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Constant Reader
    Dorothy Parker's complete weekly New Yorker column about books and people and the rigours of reviewing. When, in 1927, Dorothy Parker became a book critic for the New Yorker, she was already a legendary wit, a much-quoted member of the Algonquin Round Table, and an arbiter of literary taste. In the year that she spent as a weekly reviewer, under...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Just a Little One
    In Just a Little One, Dorothy Parker distils a lifetime of wit, despair, and defiance into a single, unsteady cocktail-hour monologue. A woman, armed with charm and self-deprecation, insists she's "not really drinking", as her voice wavers between irony and heartbreak. Beneath the sparkling surface of repartee, Parker exposes the loneliness of modern urban life and the tragicomedy of self-awareness....
    Paperback
    $1499
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Land
    Inspired by the mapping of Ireland in the mid nineteenth century, Land, the new novel from the author of Hamnet, is at once intimate and epic: a portrait of a family navigating a legacy of upheaval and loss with love and hope. On a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic, Tomás and his reluctant son, Liam, are working for the great...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set
    The Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set by Brandon Sanderson is a landmark fantasy series that has captivated readers worldwide. Renowned for its innovative magic system, intricate world-building, and compelling characters, this trilogy is a must-have for any fantasy enthusiast. Immerse yourself in a world shrouded in ash, where a once-hopeful land is ruled by the tyrannical Dark Lord, known as the...
    Set
    $6800
    Elsewhere:
    $7500
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Deal
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Deal now for the perfect fake-dating romance! She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy . . . Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Signed Bookplate
    New Release
    Light Wielder
    THE EPIC CONCLUSION TO METAL SLINGER, AKA THE BOOK WITH THE PLOT TWIST THAT BROKE THE INTERNET Sail the seas. Master the blade. Protect your heart. What would you do to have it all? READERS ARE GOING WILD FOR *METAL SLINGER* ‘The BEST plot twist to ever grace my Kindle’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The author is a mastermind. Romantasy is back!!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Project Hail Mary
    THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL A BARACK OBAMA READING PICK A lone astronaut. An impossible mission. An ally he never imagined. 'The most enjoyable hard SF I have read in years' GUARDIAN 'Weir's finest work to date... This is the one book I read last year that I am certain I can recommend to anyone, no matter who, and know...
    Paperback
    $2099
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • There Is No Antimemetics Division
    Mind-bending science fiction about antimemes: ideas that attack memory, identity, and the fabric of reality itself. An antimeme is an entity with self-censoring properties. Some are benign, but others, less so... These entities can feed on your most cherished memories, the things that make you you—and you'll never even know anything changed. And they aren't just feeding on us. They're...
    By qntm
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Crescent City Paperback Box Set
    A beautiful box set containing all three paperback instalments of the Crescent City series from #1 bestselling global phenomenon Sarah J. Maas. BOUND BY BLOOD. TEMPTED BY DESIRE. UNLEASHED BY DESTINY. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced...
    Set
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Wrath of the Fallen
    SAMKIEL AND DIANNA WILL RETURN in the next sizzling, dark romantasy series from Amber V. Nicole. EPIC. SPICY. ADDICTIVE. Embrace the darkness . . . 'If you like romantasy, read this!' RAVEN KENNEDY 'A wicked ride from beginning to heart-shattering end. Leaving me literally screaming for more' HANNAH NICOLE MAERHER 'This is perfection. Amber Nicole's Dianna is the FMC of...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.