Thomas Berger, ‘Little Big Man’ Author, Is Dead at 89

NYT ^ | 7/22/2014 | CHRISTOPHER LEHMANN-HAUPT and WILLIAM McDONALD

[Borges]

Thomas Berger, the reclusive and bitingly satirical novelist who explored the myths of the American West in “Little Big Man” and the mores of 20th-century middle-class society in a shelf of other well-received books, died on July 13 in Nyack, N.Y. He was 89.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Loved the movie.

[Responsibility2nd]

“Today is a good day to die”

~~ Little Big Man

[freefdny]

Loved the book and the movie. Thank you Thomas Berger.

[skeeter]

It was a great movie, in spite of the 60s-70s noble savage vs craven white man meme.

"You want me to think that you don't want me to go down there, but the subtle truth is you really *don't* want me to go down there!"

[CrazyIvan]

One of those that I pull out at least once a year and enjoy. The bar scene with Bill Hickok is a classic.

[Red Badger]

My favorite line from the movie:

“I have a wife and FOUR horses!”
“I have a horse and FOUR WIVES!”....................

[Red Badger]

“I’M INVISIBLE!”.....................

[sima_yi]

“Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn’t.”

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

“My poor sister. They never did come for her.”

[circlecity]

“That was the end of my religious period”

[cdcdawg]

I remember the movie as a wet dream of Cultural Marxism, but a highly entertaining one. The interactions with historical figures reminds me of Flashman. Might be worth a read and re-watch.

[Borges]

Please explain.

[cdcdawg]

The Indians (The Human Beings) are presented as entirely noble, fun-loving, righteous, moral, etc... Whites are presented as the embodiment of evil. It not only advances the noble savage fantasy, it specifically attacks Western Civilization. See Dances with Wolves (if you can stay awake) for another less entertaining example.

[CrazyIvan]

The huckster who kept losing body parts was a great sub plot also.

[GraceG]

“Today is a good day to die”

~~ Little Big Man

That sounds suspiciously Klingon....

[februus]

Berger is one of my favorite authors - the Reinhardt books, Sneaky People, The Feud - so many excellent works, such a talent. One of the last major authors to have served in WWII. He’ll be missed.

[Responsibility2nd]

I actually Googled it. An old Sioux saying.

[CrazyIvan]

I believe someone here uses it for a screen name.

[NonValueAdded]

“I’m invisible!”