True Grit

By: Charles Portis

Narrated by: Donna Tartt

Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Mattie Ross, a 14-year-old girl from Dardanelle, Arkansas, sets out to avenge her Daddy who was shot to death by a no-good outlaw. Mattie convinces one-eyed "Rooster" Cogburn, the meanest U.S. marshal in the land, to ride along with her. In True Grit, we have a true American classic, as young Mattie, as vital as she is innocent, outdickers and outmaneuvers the hard-bitten men of the trail in a legend that will last through the ages.

©1968 Charles Portis (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Charles Portis is perhaps the most original, indescribable sui generis talent overlooked by literary culture in America." ( Esquire)

“Tom Wolfe, who worked with Portis as a reporter at the New York Herald-Tribune in the early 1960s called him – the original laconic cutup. A generation of novelists since then have simply regarded him as a writers-writer and have made his name a sort of secret password. Soon, they’ll no longer have him to themselves.” ( Rolling Stone Magazine)

“Like Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Thomas Berger’s Little Big Man, Charles Portis’s True Grit captures the nanve elegance of the American voice.” (Jonathan Lethem)

A few awkward pauses but otherwise a good listen

Loved the story. I agree with other reviewers that the narrator's pauses were a few seconds too long and a bit uncomfortable in places, but the voices and intonations were on point.

Hesitate if you have seen the movie

I can't review this book objectively. I saw the Cohen Brothers movie a few years ago. That movie was so well done, it made this book excruciating to listen to. I felt its presence in every sentence. I knew what to expect, was anticipating events, and the characters could not shift from those on the screen in my minds eye.

I have to say, this is a 1st class book. Its plot, a young girl going into the wild to seek vengeance for her brutally murdered father, is unique. The writing structure is beautiful. You don't often find Westerns that skirt with such skilled prose.

So, perhaps with clouded judgment, I have given this book a 5 star review. I would love to find 100 other westerns as good as this. Well written, good characters, great plot. You can't ask for more than this.

Awsome book

This book was as good as I had guessed it would be and then some

Jeff bridges probably biased me to like it

love a strong female protagonist. better climax & ending than the movie. go Mattie Ross.

Classic

This is such a great book. Read (or listen), even if you've seen either of the movies. The book is so much better!

FUN!

This book kept me laughing or on the edge of my seat until the last word! Porter's characters were so fleshed out I felt I could see them! The narrator did a fabulous job as well! Well worth the listen! I will probably listen again which I rarely do!

Better than Expected. Highly Reccommend.

I got this on a whim, as I am not into Westerns. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a story of a 14 year old girl's quest to avenge her father's murder. The narration of Mattie Ross was amazing, and I wanted more. Her whit, sarcasm, and grit was a great surprise. She was not afraid of any man, and held her own when challenged.

Amazing

Timeless and wonderful. Really couldn't get enough. So much Grit from a little package! Stands up test of time, 100% entertaining all the way through. The performance was also amazing, although the audio production wasn't perfect. It was super clear/crisp, the issue being that they didn't edit out the sound of the narrator breathing, clearing throat, etc.. you can hear her tongue in her mouth clearing saliva, etc... slightly odd.

Great book. Good performance.

I loved the language and crafting of the words themselves. Precise, concise, and rich structure.

Once a staple in American lit, it should return

Growing up on John Wayne movies introduced me to the plot, however the book itself can not be done justice on film