Son of a Smaller Hero

Son of a Smaller Hero is a novel by Canadian author Mordecai Richler,^[1] first published in 1955 by André Deutsch. One of Richler's earliest works, it displays an earnest and gritty realism in comparison to his somewhat more satirical later novels. It is sometimes assigned reading for high school English classes in Canada.

Son of a Smaller Hero

First edition
Author	Mordecai Richler
Language	English
Publisher	André Deutsch
Publication date	1955
Publication place	Canada
Media type	Print
Pages	208 pages
Preceded by	The Acrobats
Followed by	A Choice of Enemies

Plot and setting

The novel is set in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The story centres on the working-class Jewish neighborhood on Saint Dominique Street, which stands in for Saint Urbain Street, the historical locale Richler would visit by name in subsequent writings. The protagonist is Noah Adler, a young and driven idealist who rebels against the entrenched cultural and social divides in the city.