“Bernice Bobs Her Hair” is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1922 in his first collection Flappers and Philosophers (though I recall reading it in a Best-Of anthology during a particularly solitary summer vacation many years ago.)
The catchy title is a clue: The story is not superbly crafted, expertly worded, or sublimely meaningful. It’s just deliciously entertaining and one of my favorite short stories of all time.
Fitzgerald’s enduring power comes from his talent for rendering characters that transcend his Roaring Twenties milieu. In “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” awkward Bernice and her mean-girl cousin Marjorie are timeless teenagers, instantly recognizable in their preoccupations with dancing, boys, hairstyles, and conniving vengeance.
So, if you’re in the mood for some light literature, or if you want to prepare for the next resurgence of Flapper fashion, I recommend “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”, which can be read online here.
