True Grit

According to my own review of Charles Portis' “Norwood,” I had already read “True Grit.” After receiving a copy from the library for an upcoming classics book club, I opened up the book to refresh myself and found that I had, indeed, not read this book!

And I'm super happy I finally have. Mattie Ross is one of the best characters I've read in a long time. It is something wonderful to follow a 14-year-old girls trail of revenge, and meet all the people she does in what was then the Wild West (Eastern Arkansas). And to hear it all recounted from her at least 25-year vantage point and in her often-deadpan voice, which is sometimes uproariously funny and sometimes utterly tragic.

Honestly, there's a lot to say about this rip-roaring book, but the best thing is just to read it yourself!

On an interesting personal note, I happened to be in Northeastern Arkansas for a family party, so it was interesting to try imagining 1870s Arkansas before Federal highways and modern conveniences.


https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/nea-big-read/true-grit