Who Would Like This Book:
If you love stories that blend wild adventure, sharp satire, and wry humor, Little Big Man is a treat. Thomas Berger's unforgettable Jack Crabb ricochets between the worlds of Cheyenne Indians and white settlers in the old West, bumping into legendary figures like Custer and Calamity Jane. It's a rollicking, myth-busting ride that pokes holes in the cowboy legends and offers a fresh, irreverent look at American history. Fans of tall tales, historical fiction, or anyone who enjoys Mark Twain-style wit will find a lot to love here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers may find the book's episodic structure a bit meandering, especially if they prefer tightly plotted stories. The narrator can be unreliable, and the humor sometimes veers dark or irreverent, which might not be to everyone's taste. Additionally, modern readers could find Berger's depictions of Native Americans dated or problematic, as the story is filtered through a white protagonist's lens. If you're looking for an authentically Native viewpoint or a purely respectful, serious Western, this might not be your best pick.
About:
"Littel Big Man" by Thomas Berger is a historical fiction novel set in the Wild West, following the life of Jack Crabb, a man who was raised by Cheyenne Indians and later becomes a part of major historical events and encounters famous figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Gen. George Armstrong Custer. The book is described as a humorous and engaging tale that explores themes of identity, cultural clash, and survival in a witty and insightful manner, with a focus on the protagonist's journey between two different worlds.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book includes content that may be triggering, such as violence, racial conflict, and depictions of historical atrocities against Native Americans.
Has Romance?
There are elements of romance within the narrative, including Jack Crabb's relationships with women.
From The Publisher:
"The truth is always made up of little particulars which sound ridiculous when repeated." So says Jack Crabb, the 111-year-old narrator of Thomas Berger's 1964 masterpiece of American fiction, Little Big Man. Berger claimed the Western as serious literature with this savage and epic account of one man's extraordinary double life.
After surviving the massacre of his pioneer family, ten-year-old Jack is adopted by an Indian chief who nicknames him Little Big Man. As a Cheyenne, he feasts on dog, loves four wives, and sees his people butchered by horse soldiers commanded by General George Armstrong Custer. Later, living as a white man once more, he hunts the buffalo to near-extinction, tangles with Wyatt Earp, cheats Wild Bill Hickok, and fights in the Battle of Little Bighorn alongside Custer himself-a man he'd sworn to kill. Hailed by The Nation as "a seminal event," Little Big Man is a singular literary achievement that, like its hero, only gets better with age.
Praise for Little Big Man
"An epic such as Mark Twain might have given us."-Henry Miller
"The very best novel ever about the American West."-The New York Times Book Review
"Spellbinding . . . [Crabb] surely must be one of the most delightfully absurd fictional fossils ever unearthed."-Time
"Superb . . . Berger's success in capturing the points of view and emotional atmosphere of a vanished era is uncanny. His skill in characterization, his narrative power and his somewhat cynical humor are all outstanding."-The New York Times
Ratings (8)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (4) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (26):
Read It (8) | |
Want To Read (10) | |
Not Interested (8) |
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Little Big Man?
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