Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwood | 1966 | Charles Portis | Buy |
| 2 | True Grit | 1968 | Charles Portis | Buy |
| 3 | The Dog of the South | 1979 | Charles Portis | Buy |
| 4 | Masters of Atlantis | 1985 | Charles Portis | Buy |
| 5 | Gringos | 1991 | Charles Portis | Buy |
Charles Portis’s five novels are each distinct in subject but share his dry, deadpan style. Norwood (1966) follows a Texas ex-Marine on an odd cross-country trip, while True Grit (1968) is the Western that made Portis famous. The Dog of the South (1979) is a road novel about a man chasing his wife and car into Mexico, and Masters of Atlantis (1985) satirizes a fictional secret society.
Gringos (1991), his final novel, is set among American expatriates in Mexico. Despite his small output, Portis is frequently cited by other writers as one of the most underrated American novelists of the twentieth century.