Norwood

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1966. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. The first book, a novel, by the author of True Grit. Harry N. Abrams, the publisher of the current paperback edition of this book describes it as follows:

"Out of the American neon desert of Roller Dromes, chili parlors, country music, 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 he gets involved in a wild journey that takes him in and out of stolen cars, freight trains, and buses. By the time he returns home to Texas, Norwood has met his true love, Rita Lee, on a bus; befriended the second shortest midget in show business and "the world's smallest perfect fat man"; and helped Joann "the chicken with a college education," realize her true potential in life. As with all Portis' fiction, the tone is cool, sympathetic, and funny."

The 1970 film adaptation starred the country singer Glen Campbell, actor Kim Darby, and professional football player Joe Namath.

190 pages. First edition (first printing stated). This is a very good ex-library copy (but keep reading). There is light evidence of a checkout pocket being removed from the front free endpaper and ghostly tape residue on the pastedowns and cloth binding. They are flaws, but not terribly serious ones. There are no ink stamps or other markings and the book was not read often if at all. The jacket was, apparently, in a protector as the white front and rear panels have very little of the scuffing found on almost all copies. The red ink on the spine is not faded either.

This copy is a seldom-seen example inscribed by Portis, "This is for [hard to read], with best regards, Buddy Portis. Little Rock Sept 6 1986." Portis's friends called him Buddy.