Brown Dog

by Jim Harrison
Brown Dog cover
Good Books rating 3.62
Short Story Collections
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  • ID: 5604
  • Added: 2025-10-24
  • Updated: 2025-10-29
  • ISBN: 9780802193001
  • Publisher: Open Road + Grove/Atlantic
  • Published: 2013-12-03
  • Reviews: 4

Jim Harrison's Brown Dog is a collection of novellas featuring the titular character, a lovable, down-on-his-luck Michigan Indian who has become a cult favorite among readers. In these stories, Brown Dog rescues a preserved Indian body, indulges in life's pleasures, and goes on a road trip from Michigan to Montana, all while searching for love and redemption. The collection includes all the Brown Dog novellas, including a previously unpublished one, He Dog, which finds BD marginally employed and still seeking love and stability. Harrison's irreverent and humorous writing style shines in these tales, making Brown Dog an ideal introduction or reintroduction to his irresistible Everyman.

Reviews
SD Southard · SD Southard · 2014-02-27
mixed 3.00

The book is tailored for existing Jim Harrison fans rather than new readers. Despite some criticisms, the writing maintains a certain charm.

This book is clearly aimed at those who already appreciate Jim Harrison's work. The reviewer notes that while they had some complaints, the writing still holds a certain appeal. It's a collection that delves into the familiar themes and styles that Harrison's fans have come to expect. The characters and settings are richly detailed, but the plot can feel a bit uneven at times. Overall, it's a book that rewards those who are already invested in Harrison's universe.

Quick quotes

    It's a book for Jim Harrison fans, not for those who want to discover his writing.

    And as much as I may have complained about this book, the ...

    The book is tailored for existing Jim Harrison fans rather than new readers.

The Christian Science Monitor · 2014-01-20
rollicking 3.75

The adventures of Brown Dog are collected in a rollicking set of linked tales. The character is portrayed as a wonderful backwoods nitwit, making the stories both humorous and heartwarming.

The reviewer enjoys the episodic nature of the book, which allows for a variety of memorable scenes rather than a tightly woven plot. They find the character of Brown Dog to be endearing and humorous, with a childlike innocence that adds depth to the stories. The reviewer appreciates the humor and heart present in the novellas, making it a delightful read. The character's adventures are seen as a journey through life's ups and downs, with a focus on the simple pleasures and challenges that come with it.

Quick quotes

    The adventures of Brown Dog, Jim Harrison's 'wonderful backwoods nitwit,' are collected in one rollicking set of linked tales.

    It's episodic, built more on memorable scenes than steadily rising action.

    Brown Dog is a character who embodies the spirit of a picaresque novel, with his misadventures and memorable encounters.

The New York Times · Michiko Kakutani · 2013-12-13
good 3.50

Harrison's writing is exuberant and messy, which are his great strengths. The stories are filled with memorable scenes and a picaresque quality.

Michiko Kakutani notes that Jim Harrison's writing is exuberant and messy, which are his great strengths. The stories in this collection are filled with memorable scenes and a picaresque quality that makes them engaging. The protagonist, Brown Dog, is a shambling savant who navigates life with a mix of humor and heart. The writing is rich and evocative, drawing readers into a world that is both familiar and uniquely Harrison's own. It's a book that celebrates the messy, beautiful aspects of life and the human experience. The reviewer appreciates Harrison's ability to evoke the splendor and terror of the natural world, as well as his clear-eyed view of families and relationships.

Quick quotes

    That said, readers don't turn to Harrison for razor-sharp prose and linear narratives. Exuberance and messiness are his great strengths.

    This book has many of the features of a picaresque novel. It's episodic, built more on memorable scenes than steadily rising action.

    Harrison has an extraordinary ability to evoke the splendor and terror of the natural world, but is also remarkably clear-eyed about families, ...

Los Angeles Times · 2013-12-06
heartwarming 4.25

The novella form is well-suited to the misadventures of Brown Dog, a shambling savant with a unique perspective on life. The stories trace the arc of a life filled with humor and heart.

The reviewer finds the novella format to be a perfect match for the character of Brown Dog, allowing for a series of misadventures that capture the essence of his life. They appreciate the humor and heart present in the stories, as well as the character's unique perspective on the world. The reviewer notes that the book is a collection of memorable scenes and encounters, rather than a tightly plotted narrative. They find the character of Brown Dog to be both endearing and complex, with a childlike innocence that adds depth to the stories.

Quick quotes

    The novella is a favored form of his — and of mine — and it seems ideally suited to the misadventures of this shambling savant, a middle-aged man who is both a child and a sage.

    The stories trace the arc of a life filled with humor and heart.

    Brown Dog is a character who embodies the spirit of a picaresque novel, with his misadventures and memorable encounters.

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