Who Would Like This Book:
If you love quirky road-trip tales, eccentric characters, and deadpan Southern humor, Norwood is a gem. Charles Portis serves up a cast of unforgettable oddballs - think wannabe country stars, midget performers, and even a college-educated chicken - all woven together with sharp dialogue and laugh-out-loud situations. Fans of classic Americana, offbeat comedies, or the Coen Brothers' films will feel right at home on this unpredictable ride. If you enjoyed Portis’s True Grit, you’ll recognize his unique style and witty touch here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers find Norwood a little too meandering, with a plot that mainly drifts from one oddball encounter to the next. The novel’s use of dated, sometimes offensive language, and its portrayal of southern attitudes from the 1960s may be off-putting for modern audiences. Plus, if you crave intricate plots or satisfying story resolutions, you might feel let down by the book’s loose, rambling structure and its abrupt ending.
About:
'Norwood' by Charles Portis is a character-driven novel set in the 1960s South, following Norwood Pratt, a restless ex-marine who embarks on a road trip from Texas to New York. Throughout the journey, Norwood encounters a colorful cast of characters, including a surly bread delivery man, an educated chicken, and the girl of his dreams. The book is filled with deadpan humor, crisp writing, and witty dialogue, making it a hilarious and entertaining read that focuses on the journey rather than the destination.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains significant use of racial slurs and themes surrounding racism, as it is set in a mid-century Southern context.
Has Romance?
There are romantic elements in the story, particularly with Norwood's experiences and relationships, but they are not the primary focus.
From The Publisher:
"A great American deadpan comedy. . . . Norwood, like a belt of whiskey, cleared my sinuses right up." --Slate
Norwood, Charles Portis's first novel, displayed right out of the gate the wit, style, and singular voice that made him one of our great American writers. Out of the Neon Desert of Roller Dromes, chili parlors, the Grand Ole Opry, and girls who want "to live in a trailer and play records all night" comes ex-marine and troubadour Norwood Pratt. Sent on a mission to New York by Grady Fring, the Kredit King, Norwood has visions of "speeding across the country in a late model car, seeing all the sights." By the time he returns home to Ralph, Texas, Norwood has met his true love, Rita Lee, on a Trailway bus; befriended Edmund B. Ratner, the self-described "world's smallest perfect man"; and helped Joann, "the chicken with a college education," realize her true potential in life. As with all of Portis's fiction, the tone is cool, sympathetic, funny, and undeniably American.
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What can you read after
Norwood?
About the Author:
Charles Portis (b. December 28, 1933, d. February 17, 2020) lived in Arkansas, where he was born and educated. He served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, was the London bureau chief of the New York Herald-Tribune, and was a writer for The New Yorker. He was the author of five novels: Norwood, The Dog of the South, Masters of Atlantis, True Grit, and Gringos.
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