It was in 2015 that I became aware Dean Butler, the actor who played Almanzo Wilder on Little House on the Prairie, was also affiliated with the real Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was back then that I had purchased the CD called Pa's Fiddle. (This is easier to stream/download than to buy on CD these days unless some of the museum stores carry it.) I contacted the production company listed on the CD for permission to use the fiddle music in some of pioneer and Little House presentations. It was Dean Butler who graciously replied to my email. 

Shortly after that, I became aware of the documentaries directed and produced by Dean. I quickly became a fan of him. Based on my own research for The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter-by-Chapter Guide, I knew he was thorough. I highly recommend his documentaries The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura. (These are affiliate links at no additional cost to you. Like the CD, these are easier to stream today than get the DVD.)

I appreciate that an actor related to the show grew to appreciate the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder enough to devote time, energy, and talent to these other things (eventually). Dean Butler was one of the keynotes (along with two favorite authors William Anderson and Mitali Perkins). And the Laura Ingalls Wilder Research and Legacy Association gave Dean the Legacy Award for all of his contributions to the real world of Laura Ingalls Wilder. (Read about my LP experience.) 

So when I was asked to review Dean's new book Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond, I said yes. I really didn't know what to expect. After all, he was a Hollywood actor.

Well, not only is Dean Butler an actor, he's a gifted storyteller. (And based on hearing his keynote address, I suspect he wrote this book without a ghostwriter, though I'd love to know for sure. That's the curious author in me.)

Like Laura Ingalls Wilder, Dean remembered many specific details from decades in the past. Also like Wilder, he interviewed some people to help remember details from the past to help him write the most accurate book. 

I was grateful this was not a typical Hollywood memoir. It didn't focus on the party scene or the hype that comes with the fame of Hollywood. Yet, I believe it was an honest story that Dean shared. 

As one might expect by the title, the book doesn't just cover his years on the set of Little House on the Prairie. However, it's clear Dean understands that most of his book audience will also be fans of the show. He seemed to seamlessly connect many life events to his years on the show. He acknowledged how much the show influenced the rest of his life (as well as how his early years and just being himself helped him to become Almanzo). 

I was slightly amused that an entire chapter was dedicated to the first kiss shared between Dean Butler as Almanzo and Melissa Gilbert as Laura. And yes, he respectfully recognizes that kiss, with the actors' age differences, would not happen in 2024. I appreciated the respect he showed for Melissa as he recalled the past and as her friend today. (He seemed to do this for all of his female co-stars.)

Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond was an easy and enjoyable ready. You don't have to be a big fan of the show to enjoy this memoir. Fans will definitely appreciate the behind-the-scenes peeks into the show. I don't call myself a big fan though I certainly recognize the importance of the show to the books. (I watched it a bit in college. Really. When I began researching and writing The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter-by-Chapter Guide, I revisited a few episodes.) And yet Dean Butler's memoir, Prairie Man, was still very enjoyable. 

Thank you to Kensington Books for providing me an advance reader copy of Prairie Man.