Norwood

Hilarious and romping---and adventure that reminds me so much of the Coen brothers it hurts. Not quite as good as Gringos, but tight and hilarious, like a country western antithesis of Kerouac's pretension vision of the American highway. Unlike On the Road, Portis' narrator does not attribute over-significance to all of life's little quirks, and instead passes thru the world like a true open mind, interacting with the strange cast of characters with an almost christlike ambivalence.

Truly there is no more patient character in literature than a Charles Portis protagonist. They are constantly condemned and accused and accosted and robbed, and all they ever manage is a brief attempt at levity and a casual shrug.

Love it. The only complaint show more is that nothing really happens, and the ending is a bit soft. But, really, how can you end a travelogue like this other than having Norwood ramble on down the road? show less

If you haven't read Charles Portis, famed author of True Grit, what are you doing with your life?

Portis’s first novel kicks off what is to be a central theme in all his books: the road trip. In each of his books, the central character embarks on a quest, even if it’s a small one, in which they encounter colorful characters and danger.

In Norwood, it’s ex-Marine and aspiring hillbilly music playing Norwood Pratt. Giving you a description of the book almost feels wrong, because there are so many strange and wonderful aspects, they seem best served as a surprise. But here goes: Norwood is hired by sketchy Grady Fring (The Kredit King) to drive an Oldsmobile from Texas to New York City. It turns out Norwood's mission is nothing more show more than a fool's errand in the end and well, New York City ain't fit for a man of Norwood's demeanor.

Really the story is about how life happens through our daily encounters. Along the way on his journey, Norwood meets the second-shortest midget in show business; a woman who steals his heart; and a college-educated chicken.

This book is flat-out hilarious and its truth lies in the journey you go with Norwood. Don't pass this book up. show less

In “Norwood”, as in life, the journey is more important than the destination. Norwood Pratt is an ex-marine from Ralph, Texas determined to travel to New York City to collect $70.00 owed him by a former marine buddy. Being the 1950s, $70.00 is a significant amount. His other and more nebulous goal is to become a “hillbilly music” star.

Norwood is launched on his journey by a huckster’s offer of a job delivering two cars – which he insists are not stolen – and of course are. Along the way Norwood meets a surly bread delivery man who finger-pokes the competitor’s loaves; an educated chicken; an ex-circus midget known as “the world’s smallest perfect fat man,” and the girl of his dreams. Deadpan humor and crisp writing show more and dialogue make “Norwood” an entirely satisfying story. show less

Funniest novel I’ve read in a long time. Like the Coen brothers rewriting Beckett. A kaleidoscope of whacked Americana stuffed with gutbusting dialogue. Gotta get me some more Portis pronto!

REVIEW OF AUDIO EDITION. Listening to talented actors read Portis aloud is like reading Shakespeare your whole life and then learning that you can see the plays performed: the experience is so much more enjoyable. Barrett Whitener reads Norwood perfectly: he captures the phony chumminess of Grady Fring the Kredit King, the affectations of Edmund B. Ratner, "the world's smallest perfect fat man," and Bill Bird's "scholarly" airs perfectly. More than once I was listening to this as I walked around the neighborhood and started laughing out loud. People must have seen me and thought I was nuts. If you have the choice between reading this or listening to it, listen to it. The audio version forces you to slow down during the dialogue--and show more that's 90% of what makes Norwood funny in the first place. show less

This was just what I needed at the time: a perfect antidote to "serious" reading. It's a novel filled with characters cursed (or blessed?) with an excess of personality and for whom the world offers one big fat rainbow-colored Redneck Life. It's a life of inexhaustible country-fed wit and unlooked-for adventure, the latter arising from chance encounters and asinine schemes. I wish I had a dozen books like it! - Adam

This is the first Charles Portis book I’ve read, and I’m still not completely sure what to think. It was hilarious in parts, witty in parts, and down right confounding in parts. The confounding part was basically the entire story (completely character driven) that just refused to conform to any sort of expected plot points. But the writing is so good that it didn’t matter.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I enjoyed it enough to grab his more well-known books and keep exploring his work.