It's too early in the morning for me to have gone to all of the links, but I will. I am always delighted to meet another Portis fan. Ron Rosenbaum wrote about Portis that he was "America's great, unknown writer." I'm in some literature groups on Defacebook, and have tried in vain to interest them in Portis. Maybe this article will do it.
I'm appalled and ashamed to admit that I've read all of Portis except True Grit. I've had a copy of True Grit since 2010, but any bibliophile knows that he probably won't get to half the books he owns. He wants them anyway, because seriously, he sees them as armor, protection against a horrifying world.
When Jackie Kennedy died, John, Jr. read a brief, perfect statement to the media. This is a paraphrase, but he said that she had died surrounded by the people she loved and by her books. I've looked at the first page of True Grit, and can understand why critics have called it "pitch perfect." I should start it tonight.
I read Gringoes just four or five months ago, and enjoyed it, but do think it's a slight falling off from the glories of Norwood, The Dog of the South, and Masters of Atlantis. Masters of Atlantis is very funny, but drily so. To me, its glory is in its unfailing imaginativeness more than in its humor. As Nora Ephron said of Portis, "Charlie thinks of things no one else would ever think of."
Between Norwood and The Dog of the South, I think The Dog of the South is probably funnier, the high point being that magnificent linguistic switcheroo Portis does in the conversation between Midge and Norma as they drive back to Little Rock, but a segment which made me laugh harder is the conversation between the sisters, in which one describes a vision of Dr Symes' being hit by an 18 wheeler, and "rolling and rolling and rolling."
Norwood had more surprises, though, such as the scene in which the young New York guy invites Norwood back to his apartment. Almost any reader would be thinking at that point that Norwood is going to have to deal with a homosexual pass, and it isn't that, at all.
I wonder if Portis had read Flann O'Brien's weird extravaganza, The Third Policeman? In his article about Portis, Rosenbaum notes the penchant which Portis characters have for esoteric knowledge. I'm ashamed to say I can't remember the name of the writer Symes is a devotee of. He claims that the writer, whose topic, if I remember correctly, is successful salesmanship, puts "Shakespeare in the sh*thouse," or something close to that.
The unnamed narrator in The Third Policeman is in thralldom to a sage named de Selby, and cites deSelby's works frequently, complete with footnotes. As funny as Portis is, I must admit that the single hardest laugh I've ever had was in relation to one of the deSelby footnotes. I laughed so hard, I peed a little.
Still, if I had to pick the funniest novel I've ever read, The Dog of the South would win. It's a shame about the title, though. When I do mention it on Defacebook, I note carefully that the novel is not about a canine of a dog and that it isn't about the South. Has there ever been a more suitable name for a character than Ray Midge?
I had a similar laugh attack in Masters of Atlantis when Pharris White expends enormous amounts of time and energy to expose corruption in the Gnomon Society and demands the local newspaper publish his findings. They give him a complimentary copy of that day's edition and hustle him out of the office.
"Pharris White found himself out on the street again. He wandered about town in a thoughtful mood, turning over in his head the major allegations he had brought against the Gnomon Society in his brief. It was a solid piece of work. It was watertight. A passerby, taking him for an old bundled-up street vendor, asked to buy a paper. White accepted the man's coin and allowed him to take the paper without understanding the transaction."
I meant to add that I love the notion that somebody would purport to tell the story of the kindling, the growth, the rising to national prominence and influence, then, its moment having past, the decline of a Masonic - like society all because some dimbulb of an American picks up a book in a French bookstore in 1918.
Having them wind up in Gary, IN, in a single house, is perfect.
The Portis collection was my favorite read of 2023. I just finished a novel that is very much in the same vein: William Faulkner's Mosquitoes. It is laugh out loud funny in places.
I picked up the LOA collection, mainly for True Grit. Which is one of those defining novels poorly served by two movies. Now you (and Thaddeus) have me reaching for the rest of the collection.
I am confronted with a similar problem myself. I've experimented with six word reviews (eg Lolita: beautiful writing; shame about the story ) but have decided on 50 or 100 words. One sentence reviews though? Very tempting! 😊
Wow Joel - I am not sure if there is such a thing as a prolific reader, but if so, you are it! I have added a couple of books to my shelf from your recommendations from earlier this year and will close my eyes to all the new reads you introduced here until I am done with those....
It's too early in the morning for me to have gone to all of the links, but I will. I am always delighted to meet another Portis fan. Ron Rosenbaum wrote about Portis that he was "America's great, unknown writer." I'm in some literature groups on Defacebook, and have tried in vain to interest them in Portis. Maybe this article will do it.
I'm appalled and ashamed to admit that I've read all of Portis except True Grit. I've had a copy of True Grit since 2010, but any bibliophile knows that he probably won't get to half the books he owns. He wants them anyway, because seriously, he sees them as armor, protection against a horrifying world.
When Jackie Kennedy died, John, Jr. read a brief, perfect statement to the media. This is a paraphrase, but he said that she had died surrounded by the people she loved and by her books. I've looked at the first page of True Grit, and can understand why critics have called it "pitch perfect." I should start it tonight.
I read Gringoes just four or five months ago, and enjoyed it, but do think it's a slight falling off from the glories of Norwood, The Dog of the South, and Masters of Atlantis. Masters of Atlantis is very funny, but drily so. To me, its glory is in its unfailing imaginativeness more than in its humor. As Nora Ephron said of Portis, "Charlie thinks of things no one else would ever think of."
Between Norwood and The Dog of the South, I think The Dog of the South is probably funnier, the high point being that magnificent linguistic switcheroo Portis does in the conversation between Midge and Norma as they drive back to Little Rock, but a segment which made me laugh harder is the conversation between the sisters, in which one describes a vision of Dr Symes' being hit by an 18 wheeler, and "rolling and rolling and rolling."
Norwood had more surprises, though, such as the scene in which the young New York guy invites Norwood back to his apartment. Almost any reader would be thinking at that point that Norwood is going to have to deal with a homosexual pass, and it isn't that, at all.
I wonder if Portis had read Flann O'Brien's weird extravaganza, The Third Policeman? In his article about Portis, Rosenbaum notes the penchant which Portis characters have for esoteric knowledge. I'm ashamed to say I can't remember the name of the writer Symes is a devotee of. He claims that the writer, whose topic, if I remember correctly, is successful salesmanship, puts "Shakespeare in the sh*thouse," or something close to that.
The unnamed narrator in The Third Policeman is in thralldom to a sage named de Selby, and cites deSelby's works frequently, complete with footnotes. As funny as Portis is, I must admit that the single hardest laugh I've ever had was in relation to one of the deSelby footnotes. I laughed so hard, I peed a little.
Still, if I had to pick the funniest novel I've ever read, The Dog of the South would win. It's a shame about the title, though. When I do mention it on Defacebook, I note carefully that the novel is not about a canine of a dog and that it isn't about the South. Has there ever been a more suitable name for a character than Ray Midge?
Symes is a devotee of John Selmer Dix.
I had a similar laugh attack in Masters of Atlantis when Pharris White expends enormous amounts of time and energy to expose corruption in the Gnomon Society and demands the local newspaper publish his findings. They give him a complimentary copy of that day's edition and hustle him out of the office.
"Pharris White found himself out on the street again. He wandered about town in a thoughtful mood, turning over in his head the major allegations he had brought against the Gnomon Society in his brief. It was a solid piece of work. It was watertight. A passerby, taking him for an old bundled-up street vendor, asked to buy a paper. White accepted the man's coin and allowed him to take the paper without understanding the transaction."
Portis' deadpan narration is perfect.
Yes, and you never get the feeling he's laughing at them.
True. He’s like an impartial observer just letting the rest of us know went down.
He was a comic genius.
I meant to add that I love the notion that somebody would purport to tell the story of the kindling, the growth, the rising to national prominence and influence, then, its moment having past, the decline of a Masonic - like society all because some dimbulb of an American picks up a book in a French bookstore in 1918.
Having them wind up in Gary, IN, in a single house, is perfect.
The Portis collection was my favorite read of 2023. I just finished a novel that is very much in the same vein: William Faulkner's Mosquitoes. It is laugh out loud funny in places.
Great to hear about that. I’ve heard Faulkner’s The Reivers was also a hoot.
I picked up the LOA collection, mainly for True Grit. Which is one of those defining novels poorly served by two movies. Now you (and Thaddeus) have me reaching for the rest of the collection.
It’s a treasure.
Nice to see Portis in the L of A. Reading True Grit and watching the John Wayne movie were highlights of my high school days.
It’s a great collection. I love his novels. True Grit is a gem.
I am confronted with a similar problem myself. I've experimented with six word reviews (eg Lolita: beautiful writing; shame about the story ) but have decided on 50 or 100 words. One sentence reviews though? Very tempting! 😊
It was more challenging than I thought it would be—but also fun!
Wow Joel - I am not sure if there is such a thing as a prolific reader, but if so, you are it! I have added a couple of books to my shelf from your recommendations from earlier this year and will close my eyes to all the new reads you introduced here until I am done with those....
Ruth, I’m delighted to have put a couple books on your list, especially since I bet it’s already pretty full.
A delectable snack-mix of literary deliciousness - (my one sentence review of your one sentence reviews).
Ha! Perfect.
Seigfried Sassoon's Trilogy "Memoirs of George Sherston" is a good candidate for your list next year.
Thanks for that!