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The Masters of Atlantis
The Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
14 posts | 11 read | 13 to read
Masters of Atlantis is a cock-eyed journey into an America of misfits and con-men, oddballs, and innocents. Lamar Jimmerson is the leader of the Gnomon Society, the international fraternal order dedicated to preserving the arcane wisdom of the lost city of Atlantis. Stationed in France in 1917, Jimmerson comes across a little book crammed with Atlantean puzzles, Egyptian riddles, and extended alchemical metaphors. It's the Codex Pappus - the sacred Gnomon text. Soon he is basking in the lore of lost Atlantis, convinced that his mission on earth is to administer to and extend the ranks of the noble brotherhood.
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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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Wow, my favorite author is having quite a moment. First a New Yorker profile and now one in The Atlantic, plus a newly released Collected Works from Library of America:

https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2023/06/charles-portis-collected-works...

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Therewillbebooks
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

Tonight we're discussing Masters of Atlantis by Charles Portis, a comedic romp full of memorable scenes and hilarious dialogue. Portis is most known for True Grit but we discuss why you shouldn't neglect reading his comedic novels. Matt discusses his favorite scenes and Peter enjoys the serious points Portis makes. Finally, we make the connection between Portis and the Coen brothers. Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5YH73ujNacjT1zrMIYmn1O

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Therewillbebooks
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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Our new June book of the month selection episode is out. We discuss the merits of Pride and Prejudice (the movie) and Major League (the movie) and dig ourselves a hole TBR wise.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2wp6W1NEZJLsJZN7IYhxSq?si=WSp9W2kmR1yaKtjkqVyiW...

BethM The tagged book sounds awesome. 2y
Therewillbebooks @BethM It is! It's one of the funniest things I've ever read. 2y
The_Penniless_Author Masters of Atlantis is one of my favorite books. I had never read Charles Portis a year ago, and now he's one of my go-to authors. 2y
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Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Major League is one of my top 3 sports movies. 2y
Therewillbebooks @The_Penniless_Author That's how I feel about him too. Dog of the South is another favorite of mine. 2y
58 likes6 comments
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Therewillbebooks
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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This is the official May reading list

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KathyWheeler
The Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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This evening‘s reading thanks to @The_Penniless_Author and my library‘s ebook collection.

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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

1. Seeing my second book be published and having my third (and probably last) be accepted for publication. Greatest challenge was making simple small talk with people again after so much time in isolation.
2. I read more great books this year than ever before. Picking a best book would be impossible, but my favorite might be the tagged one. Absolutely hilarious.
3. My parents' health improves.

Eggs Congratulations on your book publications!! And thanks for joining in🥳⭐️🎉 3y
Suet624 Congrats on your book publication! I empathize with you about the small talk after so much isolation. 3y
The_Penniless_Author @eggs Thanks! 😊 3y
The_Penniless_Author @Suet624 Thanks, Sue! Yeah, I think I forgot just how much preparation and mental energy goes into "being on" when you're in a social situation. 3y
38 likes4 comments
review
The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

This book first came to my attention in an article that talked about how it's something of a cult classic in the stand-up comedy world, and how many comics pass it around amongst their friends. Now that I've read it it's easy to see why. A gullible American GI bumming around post-WWI France buys a book purported to contain the ancient wisdom of Atlantis from a drifter and goes on to form a secret society, the Gnomons, upon his return to the States

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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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I don't think you realize what's happened. The Telluric Currents have shifted away from Burnette and nothing can prosper here. Look at Bulmer Avenue. Do you remember how it used to be? Now it's a street of bums and juvenile bullies. On every block you can see a twelve-year-old boy holding a six-year-old boy in a headlock.

🤣

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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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He said his name was Nick and that he was an Albanian refugee from Turkey. After supper he revealed that his real name was Mike and that he was actually a Greek from Alexandria, in Egypt.

Bit by bit the truth came out. Mike confessed that his real name was Jack and that he was an Armenian from Damascus.

Jack said that he was at last free to divulge his true Gnomon identity; he was Robert, a French Gypsy, and he must now hasten back to Malta...

The_Penniless_Author @Milara None of the above. It's some scam artist posing as a beggar in post-war France who cons the MC into buying a book of "mystical secrets" from Atlantis. It's all part of the ruse, sharing deeper and deeper "truths" every time the MC shells out more money, starting with a big reveal of his "true identity". It's a very witty book, one of the funnier things I've read in a while. 4y
jennbee I haven‘t thought about this book in years! One of my favorites from college 4y
The_Penniless_Author @Milara No, that's the whole point - most every character in the novel, especially those involved in "Gnominism", are inherently ridiculous. Some are more earnest than others, but whether sincere or cunning the ideas they spout get progressively more absurd, yet the absurdity allows them to paper over all the holes in their ideology. (And frankly, that's how actual conspiracy movements work - just look at QAnon!) 4y
The_Penniless_Author @jennbee I really love it so far. I saw an article recently talking about how this book is practically worshipped in the stand-up comedy world, and how comics recommend it to each other all the time. I can see why 😄 4y
38 likes1 stack add4 comments
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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Young Lamar Jimmerson went to France in 1917 with the American Expeditionary Forces, serving first with the Balloon Section, stumbling about in open fields holding one end of a long rope, and then later as a telephone operator at AEF headquarters in Chaumont.

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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

1. Masters of Atlantis, by Charles Portis
2. The Night Manager, by John le Carre
3. Manual for Cleaning Women, by Lucia Berlin

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The_Penniless_Author
Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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1. Ugh, I don't even remember what plans are anymore. Work, I guess? Walk up and down the steps between my basement office and the kitchen?
2. Bedroom. It's the only place where the TV is drowned out enough to concentrate.
3. Charlie Brown 😑

@Cupcake12

Cupcake12 Thank you for playing x 4y
20 likes1 comment
review
Oblomov26
The Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

Picked this up based on my love of the writing in True Grit. A naive young soldier acquires a copy of a book claiming to initiate the readers into the mystery of Atlantis and uses it to form a mystical society whose members range from the deluded, the believers to con men. Story covers the trials and tribulations of the society over the next fifty years. Perhaps not to everyone‘s taste, but I found it to be whimsical and beautifully written.

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Bookboss
The Masters of Atlantis | Charles Portis
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Pickpick

I found True Grit to be delightful, so I tried this book after reading an essay about Charles Portis by Donna Tartt. Master of Atlantis is a comedy about con men and fringe belief systems. The writing is sharp and the characters are reprehensible. The pacing is quick, and I was entertained. I can see that the tone of the book might not be for everyone, but I am looking forward to my next Portis novel.

Oblomov26 Great review 4y
KCofKaysville @Oblomov26. Interesting read but not as good as True Grit for sure. 4y
33 likes2 stack adds2 comments