Genre: Novel
Grade: A
Notable People: Jim Harrison
Title: The Great Leader
Review – another magnificent piece of writing from the person I believe to be the greatest living American writer (Legends of the Fall). Harrison has been writing for 45 years in his almost, but not quite Hemingway style. Caught a lot of flack early on for his similar machismo and lack of sensitivity. So- he turned around a wrote a series of books with a woman as main character (Dalva, etc.)- which blew the critics away for his ability to write in the first person female. He is, in fairness, an Upper Peninsula version of Hemingway- but with more self – effacement, sympathy and gentleness. This story is a semi-ironic take on the great detective novel- with a retiring UP detective hell bent on finishing with one more resolved case involving a sexual predator cult leader. Beautifully written in the natural themes of both upper Michigan and Arizona- it is a subtle thing of beauty. A good chance to get to know Harrison- if you don’t yet.