{"product_id":"norwood-9780879517038","title":"Norwood","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNorwood\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author 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. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A great American deadpan comedy. . . . \u003ci\u003eNorwood\u003c\/i\u003e, like a belt of whiskey, cleared my sinuses right up.\" --Slate\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e As with all of Portis's fiction, the tone is cool, sympathetic, funny, and undeniably American. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Flawless . . . \u003ci\u003eNorwood\u003c\/i\u003e is a road novel as indispensable as \u003ci\u003eOn the Road\u003c\/i\u003e itself.\" --Ed Park, \u003ci\u003eBeliever\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCharles 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 \u003ci\u003eNew York Herald-Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e, and was a writer for \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e. He was the author of five novels: \u003ci\u003eNorwood\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Dog of the South\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMasters of Atlantis\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTrue Grit\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eGringos\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Harry N. Abrams","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50612250116370,"sku":"9780879517038","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_6afe3f93-5296-47c1-b59f-241850c8dfc8.jpg?v=1732371865","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/norwood-9780879517038","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}