Escape Velocity

From the author of True Grit comes a remarkable collection that reveals another side of Charles Portis—his sharp, witty, and deeply observant voice as a journalist and essayist.

Escape Velocity gathers the best of Portis's nonfiction alongside short stories and dramatic works, offering readers a panoramic view of Portis’s literary range and cultural commentary.

In these pages, you’ll find incisive reportage, essays that capture the quirks of American life, and reflections on history, politics, and the absurdities of modern existence—all delivered with Portis’s trademark humor and precision.

Complementing these are short stories and plays that showcase his gift for dialogue and character, making this volume an essential resource for anyone who values compelling journalism and timeless storytelling.

Whether you’re a longtime admirer of True Grit or discovering Portis for the first time, Escape Velocity is a master class in style, insight, and narrative craft—a collection that cements his place among America’s most distinctive literary voices.

Edited by Jay Jennings, Escape Velocity covers topics as varied as the civil rights movement, road tripping in Baja, and Elvis’s visits to his aging mother. Fans of Portis’s droll Southern humor and quirky characters will be thrilled at this addition to his library, and those not yet familiar with his work will find a great introduction to him here. Also included are tributes by accomplished authors including Donna Tartt and Ron Rosenbaum.

“America’s least known great American novelist.” (New York Times Book Review)