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The Dog of the South
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
18 posts | 19 read | 31 to read
Now available in large print, Charles Portis' 1979 modern classic The Dog of the South is considered one of his funniest works Ray Midge is waiting for his credit card bill to arrive. His wife, Norma, has run off with her ex-husband, taking Ray's cards, shotgun and car. But from the receipts, Ray can track where they've gone. He takes off after them, as does an irritatingly tenacious bail bondsman, both following the couple's spending as far as Mexico. There Ray meets Dr Reo Symes, the eccentric owner of a beaten up and broken down bus, who needs a ride to Belize. The further they drive, in a car held together by coat-hangers and excesses of oil, the wilder their journey gets. But they're not going to give up easily.
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MissyD
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book. It wasn‘t suspenseful. It wasn‘t overly humorous. But it was just a nice easy literary fiction read. #SummerEndReadathon book #10

TheSpineView Well done! 14mo
16 likes1 comment
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The_Penniless_Author
Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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#sundayfunday @ozma.of.oz

Dog of the South - Charles Portis's road trips are always a perfect mix of the epic and the ridiculous, and this one - in which the MC travels from Arkansas all the way to British Honduras (Belize) to retrieve his Ford Torino from the man who ran off with his wife - is no exception.

BookmarkTavern Wow! That‘s quite a trip! Thanks for sharing! 1y
29 likes1 comment
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wanderer15
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

Technically this book is about the narrator tracking down his wayward wife and stolen car, but somehow feels like it‘s about much more - and I found myself laughing out loud frequently at Midge‘s observations and the crazy characters he meets on his adventure.

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The_Penniless_Author
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

Charles Portis writes the best dialogue of any author I've ever come across, hands down. Characters talk around and past one another, trade non sequiturs, and launch into meandering digressions that meld arcane trivia, wooden philosophical babble, and petty grievances in a way that's utterly unique. Neither has another author better captured America's paranoid, grasping, grifter heart. On my shortlist of favorite writer of all time.

43 likes2 stack adds
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Therewillbebooks
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

Would you like a break from all the stress and anxiety of the world? Then I invite you to listen to episode 20 of the podcast. No politics, just books and puppies and mermaids are discussed. Oh, and Charles Portis!

https://open.spotify.com/show/6A6hXZ7eaOG7BtHOSJpCTI

Tanisha_A Adorable 😍 4y
KathyWheeler I never knew True Grit was funny until I read it last year. Now I have to check this book out. 4y
Hooked_on_books This picture is beyond cute! 🥰🐶 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I want to cuddle with this little wizard! 🤗 4y
92 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Bookboss
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Book mail! I loved True Grit, and I read an interview with Donna Tart where she recommended two of Portis‘s other works. Adaptations is a collection of 35 short stories that have been made into films. So excited!

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Pedrocamacho
Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

This book is pretty funny. I loved how oblivious the characters are to each other and how poorly they listened. It struck me as both hilarious and very real.

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britt_brooke
Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Another audio question. 🎧 These books - already in my TBR - are immediately available on #Overdrive. I need one for tomorrow. 😬 Have you listened to any of them? Which one would you vote for? I can't decide! #booknerdproblems

DGRachel I haven't listened to any of them, but I read Constellation and it was ah-may-zing. 7y
britt_brooke @DGRachel That's what I've heard!! 7y
ptkpepe98 I read Hagseed years ago. Not crazy about it, but I loved The Handmaid's Tale. So it might be me. 7y
See All 20 Comments
DGRachel @ptkpepe98 I wasn't thrilled by Hag-Seed either. It was okay, but I still don't understand the hype. 7y
britt_brooke @ptkpepe98 The Handmaid's Tale was so good, but I've yet to read any of her other books. 7y
britt_brooke @DGRachel @ptkpepe98 Good to know about Hag-Seed. Think I'll take off the table for now. 7y
Alicia I read Fates in print and hated it, but honestly it might be better in audio. 7y
britt_brooke @Alicia Hmm, good to know. The reviews seems really mixed on that one. 7y
JenP I haven't listened to it but I vote for constellation 7y
Hollie They all look good to me, but I'd vote Hag Seed! 7y
BarbaraBB Fates and Furies is a page turner. Once you start, you can't stop. Easy read! 7y
britt_brooke @JenP @Hollie @SaraBeagle @BarbaraBB Thanks, guys! I'll be sure to post what I end up going with! 7y
Suet624 Oh boy. Constellation for sure. 7y
britt_brooke @Suet624 I think that's what I'm going with. 😉👍🏻 7y
BookBabe I love this question! 👌🏻 it's always a dilemma. I've read 3 Atwoods so far: The Edible Woman (very good but very weird), The Heart Goes Last (good and unique but left us feeling weird), and Stone Mattress, which I really enjoyed. 7y
DocBrown I may be too late to the conversation but I give two thumbs way up 👍🏽👍🏽for 7y
DocBrown My favorite book of the past six months' reading. Best since 7y
96 likes20 comments
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quietjenn
Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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I am trying to ration out the Portis, since there is such a limited amount of it, but I've had this checked out of the library forever. It might just finally be time.

24 likes1 stack add
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britt_brooke
Dog of the South | Charles Portis

It is soon my husband's birthday and I want to get him a pile of books. I'm looking for recommendations! I grabbed this one when @Liberty posted about it the other day. 👍🏻 He likes a wide variety so I'm open to any suggestions you beautiful folks have to offer. Help, please! ☺️ *** He just finished Atlas Shrugged and is currently reading American Gods, if that helps.

LeahBergen What is his favourite genre? 8y
Dragon The Martian 8y
CallMeIshmael Empire Falls 8y
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CaitlinSiem HEX by Thomas Olde Heuvelt if he likes eerie. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch if he likes sci-fi with a little love story inside it. Sleeping Giants by Sylvian Neuvel if he likes sci-fi. Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink if he likes weird. A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab if he likes fantasy/magic. Vicious by VE Schwab if he likes stories where it's hard to tell who, if anyone, is good and a twist on superpowers. 8y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen So, he loves some fantasy types like Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire. He also loves books about fly fishing and pretty much any sport. Military books (he served 3 tours in Iraq). And he likes random fiction and nonfiction. 8y
britt_brooke @CaitlinSiem Thanks so much!! Great list. 8y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen No, he hasn't. I'll add that to my list. Thanks! 8y
LeahBergen For a humourous road trip to Civil War sites (complete with weird Civil War reenactors) 8y
britt_brooke @Dragon Such a great suggestion that I already asked him to read it and he loved it (as did I)! 😄😉 8y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen Oh, I think he might really love this one. Thank you! 8y
LeahBergen And (because my husband is a fly fisherman, too) a fly fishing mystery (ha!) 8y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen Awesome, thanks! Has your husband read any John Gierach or Thomas McGuane? Mind seems to enjoy their books. 8y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen *Mine. Grrrr .... anxiously awaiting the update that lets us edit comments! 😂 8y
LeahBergen No, he hasn't but I will definitely check them out. Thanks! 8y
LeahBergen I feel your pain. I just try to delete them quickly and rewrite them (if I catch them in time!) 8y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen 👍🏻👍🏻 8y
Dragon Oh and another series he might like it starts with 8y
readinginthedark My husband is a vet and said The Things They Carried is fantastic. For an interesting fantasy/fiction crossover, I'd recommend The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Or Wool by Hugh Howey, if he likes sci-fi. 8y
britt_brooke @Dragon Thank you! 8y
britt_brooke @readinginthedark Thanks! The Things They Carried is so good. I've read it but I can't remember if hubby has. 8y
56 likes25 comments
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Liberty
Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Pretty sure that if you name your World of Warcraft character after an author, playing the game then counts as reading.

This has been another episode of "Lies I Tell Myself." Tune in next week when I discuss how Fritos count as a vegetable. ?

Zelma Fritos contains corn product. Corn is considered a vegetable at dinner. Ergo, Fritos are vegetables. 8y
Mayread Frito Pie is a salad. A salad, people. Do not destroy my cognitive dissonance. 8y
OwenBanner Let's just let the Frito issue lay 8y
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Liberty @OwenBanner Go to your room and think about what you've done. 😝 8y
todd Chili Cheese Fritos are a well-balanced, heart healthy meal. If only we could say they are organic. 8y
OwenBanner 😇 8y
bookwrm526 Hahaha, all of mine are named after book characters, mostly from Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books, but none so far after authors 8y
Peterdamien I thought you left the World of Warcraft addiction behind? Oh god, am I the last one on the wagon? WHY 8y
readinginthedark I miss WoW! You may have just started something here. Also, you can always listen to an audiobook! Two birds, one hearthstone. 😉 8y
Liberty @Peterdamien Dude, I was on the wagon for TEN YEARS. I'm way more responsible with my time this time around. And it's way more fun this time, probably because my ex isn't playing, too. 😂 8y
Peterdamien @readinginthedark audiobooks while playing WoW, holy crap that's clever O.o 8y
ultrabookgeek I miss WoW - I've been thinking of going back in this fall - it's so cool to meet other bookworms who game! 8y
Laalaleighh @liberty I tell myself playing jrpgs counts as reading an "interactive story" You're not alone! 8y
kdwinchester @Peterdamien @readinginthedark That's how I spend my off hours—video games and audiobooks. Perfect relaxing combo. WoW is still my fav of all time. ❤️🙌📚 8y
127 likes15 comments
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Liberty
Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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BF: So I'm in the mood to read a book -
Me: WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DID YOU GET IN MY HOUSE?!
BF: ...
Me: Go on.
BF: And I thought-
Me: THE DOG OF THE SOUTH.
BF: Uh, what?
Me: You were going to ask me for a recommendation and THE DOG OF THE SOUTH is my answer. It's perfect for you.
BF: Uh, yeah, okay, I'll read it.

- later -

BF: You were right, this is exactly what I wanted!
Me: ♥️♥️♥️

Sweettartlaura I love it when a recommendation works out like it should ❤️📚 8y
mauveandrosysky Ha! My partner isn't a big reader which honestly doesn't bother me at all but whenever he decides that he's in the mood to read a book I get SO EXCITED. 😄 8y
Zelma That is fantastic. The exchange cracked me up. 8y
See All 24 Comments
Biljana 😀❤️ 8y
BethFishReads Yay for perfect recommendations 8y
Liberty @mauveandrosysky Exactly. People often say, "I can't believe that you don't date a reader," and I say, "Sorry, I'm too busy reading to care." 8y
TheLondonBookworm Ah, to have a boy friend who actually wants to read ... 😋 8y
Reagan My husband wanted to learn about physics so I keep bringing library books home for him and he's completely overwhelmed now. I assume everybody wants to read as much as I do! 8y
WendyL So much reading can be accomplished while the football game is on. 😜 8y
mauveandrosysky PREACH! 🙌🏻 8y
GinaAnderson This has been on my shelf forever and a friend who swears it's the best thing he's ever read. Really must get to it. 8y
Hooked_on_books Glad I'm not the only one with a BF who doesn't read. A common line from him is "Another book?" Well...yeah. Duh. ? 8y
angrylilasian It's the best feeling when someone loves a book you recommended! 8y
Scurvygirl And this...was funny... 8y
Scurvygirl 😹 8y
Bookzombie 💕 8y
Hestapleton Literally me and my boyfriend. 8y
readinginthedark @mauveandrosysky @Liberty Yes! This is my husband and me! 8y
asiriusreader 😂😂 oh the similar convos I've had with my husband. After 12 years together, he is a thoroughly converted reader though. There's really no choice if you're married to me. 😄 8y
LitHousewife He's a lucky guy. 🤗 8y
BookBabe Love this anecdote! ☺️ 8y
WordWaller this is my relationship too! But he doesn't actual read what I give him until waaaaaaay after the fact, and then goes "WHY DIDNT I READ THIS SOONER!?" 8y
kdwinchester So much nerd love. I can't handle it. 😂❤️ 8y
166 likes20 stack adds24 comments
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DMorgan
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
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Dr. Symes saw his chance and got his statement out. He said, “I don‘t know what the poets of Belize are doing this morning but I can tell you what they should be doing. They should all be in their little rooms composing memorials to that grand lady.”

review
zeebleoop
The Dog of the South | Charles Portis
Panpan

it started off well enough but then wandered around for a time with no real point. then, after a few unrelated tangents the book just sorta - died.