Gringos

By: Charles Portis

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

With an uncommonly astute eye for the absurd details that comprise your average American, Charles Portis brings to life Jimmy Burns, an expatriate American living in Mexico.

For a time, Jimmy spent his days unearthing pre-Columbian artifacts. Now he makes a living doing small trucking jobs and helping out with the occasional missing-person situation—whatever it takes to remain “the very picture of an American idler in Mexico, right down to the grass-green golfing trousers.”

But Jimmy’s laid-back lifestyle is being seriously imposed upon by a ninety-pound stalker named Louise, whose particular fascination with Jimmy is a mystery to him. Add to this a sudden wave of hippies led by a murderous ex-con guru in search of psychic happenings, archaeologists unearthing (illegally) the Mayan tombs, and Louise and her weirdo husband’s quest for UFO landing sites, and Jimmy’s simple south-of-the-border existence is facing clear and present danger.

©1991 Charles Portis (P)2022 Recorded Books

Another great novel by Charles Portis

I just discovered Mr Portis after reading a memorial in The New Yorker. True Grit: amazing.The Dog of the South: spectacular. Gringos: another exploration of a truly American sensibility. What a voice he had. (And the actual voice of the actor who narrates, David Aaron Baker, was a tour de force. For me, a jewel of American literature.

This is literature.

Truly great writing is not just about plot. It uses imagery and character portrayal in telling a story that brings a time and a place and people to life. Portis does with words what Michelangelo did with marble. And there is no better narrator for his work than David Aaron Baker who is an artist in his own right. I’m re-listening for the tenth time since I downloaded it last month and every time I catch on to something new… last night the phrase toward the beginning of the book about Alma using a lot of stamps, for instance. This bookscape is studded with nuggets of pure gold.

A modern Mark Twain

David Aaron Baker does a wonderful job of differentiating this wide swath of characters. I’m a fan of Portis’ novel, True Grit so thought I’d give Gringos a try. It may be the best book I’ve read in 2023 so far. I loved it.

None better

The best writing
The best writer
The best book
A brilliant reading
There is no higher art than GRINGOS

Outstanding

I’ve read this book 100 times since it was first published and it’s one of my favorites. I’m so glad that this audio version does everything I hoped for and more: the delivery is perfect.

Had me walking around with a pleasant little grin, lovely book.

The reader is a pro, the book is a must. I spent some time in central America long ago, it was like visiting old friends.

Another Brilliant Portis

It is astonishing to me that Portis flew invisible to me under the reading radar of my long life. I kinda feel I missed out! But then, I sense him smiling, telling at me...But we are here now; we "won't be venturing out into the silva anymore," or "shining our light in peoples' faces." His control of the narrative is captivating. The story's great set up: "We put things off, then one day we wake up and say, Today I'll change the oil in my truck." Then when he begins the wrap up: "She knew she could count on me to put things off." He doesn't settle on a "grand philosophy," but he does settle.

The reader is good for the most part, but some of the characters' voices are clunky and overacted.

Maybe the book would be better

I do not write a lot of reviews, but after listening to some of these books with five star reviews, I have absolutely no idea how they came to that conclusion . I kept waiting for something in this book to happen, and it just does not . the story taking place south of the border Makes it even harder to understand. I don’t believe I would waste my time on this book.

Can a dramatic reading be too dramatic?

Portis 100%. This reading overall I rate 8/10. The sound level varies wildly and makes casual listening dificult as the volume must be adjusted constantly. Overacted, maybe at times, more of a directoral fault than the reader / actor.