Why read The Mighty Red?

Book cover of The Mighty Red

Book description

'Erdrich remains one of the world's literary giants' Boston Globe

In Argus, North Dakota, a fraught wedding is taking place.

Gary Geist, a terrified young man set to inherit two farms, is desperate to marry Kismet Poe. Gary thinks Kismet is the answer to all of his problems; Kismet can't…

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Why read it?

4 authors picked The Mighty Red as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Yvonne Osborne

Author

I loved this book because of the setting in a sugar beet farming town facing environmental degradation, complicated by forbidden love and hidden secrets.

The problems all farming communities face are similar and heartbreaking. This is about ordinary people, like those I know, flawed but decent and struggling to survive a farming life.

Plus, I love a good love story.

From Yvonne's list on rural noir tension and environmental conflict.

Yvonne Osborne

Author

I loved the flawed yet decent characters, their relatable humanity, and the emphasis on climate change and unusual setting (The Red River Valley) which, while unfamiliar to me personally, is similar to the landscape of my writing.

From Yvonne's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Jill Fordyce

Author

Louise Erdrich's characters are complex, rich, and lovable. The story evokes both small town rural life and also, delves into a larger conversation about the environment and the life of the working poor. The coming of age theme felt authentic and was at once moving, tragic, and also funny. The writing is both efficient and lyrical. This is my favorite kind of book: one that is evocative, emotional, and feels true.

From Jill's 3 favorite reads in 2024.