Son of a Smaller Hero is a novel by Canadian author Mordecai Richler, 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
AuthorMordecai Richler
LanguageEnglish
PublisherAndré Deutsch
Publication date
1955
Publication placeCanada
Media typePrint
Pages208 pages
Preceded byThe Acrobats 
Followed byA Choice of Enemies 

Plot and setting

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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.