I freely admit that I am a Laura Ingalls Wilder purist. I prefer the books and, generally, treat the TV series with loud disdain. That said - and as my brother, whose lifetime mission it is to point out when I’m treating myself too seriously, would say - I have seen every episode. Furthermore, I’ve read many of the cast biographies, even though I don’t typically enjoy memoirs. I enjoyed this book although it wasn’t quite as ‘dishy’ as some of the other Little House books I’ve read. And, unlike with one or two of the other LH memoirs, I actually found Butler to be a likable person. I won’t name names (if Butler can be nice, so can I), but unlike at least one of his cast mates, by the end of his book, I felt like I’d enjoy hanging out with Butler.

This was a very bland autobiography for sure, I guess I was just expecting a little more. In the beginning he said more than once I know you didn't pick this up for the genealogy, yes, agreed so stop bringing it up. Also, did he need to bring up the former president? When he did, it felt like he was trying to make himself seem middle of the road on the issue. I was happy that pictures were included as I like to see what the author is referencing.

Imagine you are a twenty something year old man who has been brought in the play the future husband of a 15 year old on America’s most beloved tv show. Dean Butler navigates kissing Laura Ingalls and more in a rapidly changing Hollywood. Butler could have dismissed his behavior with “that is how it was” but is willing to do a deep dive on #metoo, his own behavior, and the complicated legacy of Michael Landon.

Warm and authentic in his writing. Not afraid to talk of complexities in relationships he has had. Little House was a series loved by all and Dean could easily have ‘sugarcoated’ his experiences through his words but there was a refreshing honesty.

As a little girl my parents were very strict about what I watched on TV. My time was limited and the choices available to me were limited. The one show they allowed me to watch without hesitation was Little House on the Prairie. I remember the joy it gave me and that joy became all encompassing when my mom introduced me to the books. I credit my love of reading to that moment. As an adult I own multiple copies of the series and all the books written about Laura Ingalls Wilder and the autobiographies of the actors that portrayed some of my favourite characters.

When Dean Butler announced he was releasing his memoir I was over the moon. Almanzo Wilder was my first crush and he is to this day my favourite book boyfriend. As the man that got to portray this beloved character, Dean holds a special place in my heart. Good looks and charm aside, his years of preserving and promoting Michael Landon and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s legacy will forever have my utmost respect and appreciation.

I went into this book looking forward to reading about both his professional and personal life and was not disappointed. I will be completely honest and say I knew little about him outside of the Little House sphere and came away knowing him better and happy for it.

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗡 is an absolute must read for lovers of Little House on the Prairie and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. I’m giving it the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval. Enjoy!

Dean Butler wrote an amazing memoir! I love how it is written, the style and language is perfect. The stories are very interesting and I love how he did not make it all about Little House. I feel as if I've known Dean his whole life after reading. He was able to be personal and share intimate stories while also being very conservative, which I think many authors have difficulty with when they are telling their life stories. Authors want to tell "their side" but the result is also sharing someone else's story. Dean is very careful and makes sure his stories do not trample on others thoughts and feelings. Truly and absolutely amazing read!!

Prairie Man
by Dean Butler
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am in a kick right now viewing seasons of Little House on the Prairie shows and also reading memoirs from several of the actors.
The memories of his five years working with Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon are fleshed out and he’s quite candid about things. He emphasized that the Michael Landon he worked with was different than the Landon Melissa Gilbert worked with, and different from Karen Grassle’s memories. I honestly don’t know how any work got done with all the drinking done behind the scenes. I recently rewatched Little House on the Prairie and despite its wholesome image, there were some really heavy and depressing episodes. I still love it, but you definitely see things differently as an adult that you don’t notice as a child.
I really enjoyed this book and will recommend it for LHOTP lovers.
An illuminating, insider’s journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie and beyond, from Dean Butler, who starred as Almanzo Wilder, the man Laura “Half Pint” Ingalls married—on the iconic show still beloved by millions of fans as it reaches its 50th anniversary.

Love Little House, love this book.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I absolutely loved this book. Was a fan of his on Little House on the Prairie and wondered what he did after the show ended. He is totally honest about his life and his experience with Little House and Michael landon. It was nice to see he did do other work but his greatest ac-
complishment seems to have been his work in producing and directing. He appears to be very much what he played on Little House. I highly recommend this book to all fans of Little House on the Prairie.

I have been a long time LHOTP fan, and was so excited to get to review this book. Dean Butler was amazing as Almonzo Wilder and as I read all about the struggles of being in his 20's and paired with a teenager (Almonzo and Laura were 10 years apart in real life). I also learned what an amazing man Dean is, not only an amazing actor and director, but an amazing human being. I can't wait for this to become available to the public so other can see the real Dean Butler.

A very enjoyable read!! I know of the existence of several memoirs by various LHOTP cast members, but this is the first one I've read; as such, I really appreciated Butler's behind-the-scenes insights. While I also appreciated his own personal pioneer family history, the way he tried to connect it to the real Almanzo Wilder's life story as though he were fated to play the role felt like a bit of a stretch at times ("Almanzo" sounding similar to one of his ancestor's middle name, "Alfonso"? Really??). But overall, this was a very gracious life story, candidly told, with a very deep sense of gratitude for the highs and lows of a stage and screen career that I honestly knew nothing about beyond LHOTP. Recommended!

Prairie Man is an insightful look at the career of Little House on the Prairie's Dean Butler. The author is incredibly thoughtful in his recollections and analyses of his career. I admire the way he appreciates his past projects while acknowledging how they might be perceived today.

I wish there had been more about his time on Little House on the Prairie. Realistically, it will be the original fans of the show (and the rerun generation as Dean calls them, and in my case at 29, the rerun of reruns generation) who will pick up this book. I think more personal anecdotes would have been nice - a typical day on set, what it was like acting in a period piece, his favorite episodes, quirks of the set, etc. There was a lot of focus on his relationships with Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon, and I would have liked to hear more about him and his character. Melissa and Michael may have been the stars, but Dean was an incredibly important element of the show and I think he deserved to boast or brag about that a bit more.

I received a copy of the book "Prairie Man" by Dean Butler from Netgalley. I have been a fan of Little House on the Prairie since it came out fifty years ago. Wow! hard to believe! So I have been interested in reading books from the actors who have appeared on Little House. Dean Butler played Almanzo Wilder. He writes about his experience being on this popular show along with writing about the rest of his life. He writes of his childhood growing up in California. The start of his acting career. His years on little House and his career after such as a new Gidget series. A year on Broadway in "into the Woods" and other parts of his career. It was nice to read Dean Butlers memoir. He keeps it "nice" like the nice man i am sure he is himself.

As a lifelong fan of all things Laura Ingalls Wilder (though my first loyalty is to the books), the television show Little House on the Prairie was an important part of my childhood, partly because I share a first name with two of the leads, and partly because I have fond memories of watching it with my mother. (I was born in 1970 -years before the show - so, no, I was NOT named after either of those two famous Melissas). I remember being giddy with joy when the character of Almanzo Wilder was finally added to the show, and, as I've shared with more than one person, I remember getting permission from my mother to do my homework in front of the TV (during commercials) so I wouldn't miss a minute of the two-part episode where Laura and her "Manly" get married.

Needless to say, I've read all of the memoirs from various cast members, all women - until now - and I was excited to learn about this memoir.

I was not disappointed. Author Dean Butler is honest in the way he shares his story, and the tone is down to earth. Early in the text he mentions that a common attitude in his family is that of "modest pride," and that really fits Butler - at least as he portrays himself here - perfectly.

If you're expecting a salacious tell-all, this is not the book for you. Butler says himself that not all stories need to be told. So when discussing the relationship that ended in his first marriage, he withholds the woman's name. I respect him for that.  He's not a saint. He's made human mistakes and has human flaws. And yet, he's one of the good guys.

A through-line of Butler's story is that his role as an actor -and in life - is to be the guy who supports a young actress, and it's a role he's particularly good at. From Forever (yes, there was a movie based on Judy Blume's infamous young adult novel), to Little House, to The New Gidget, and even to Buffy the Vampire Slayer Dean made his name as the good guy the heroine could count on. (We don't count the nightmare version of Hank Summers - that was fiction within fiction.)

When his career turned from being in front of the cameras to being a documentarian, writing, narrating, producing, and editing, it seems as if Butler found his true niche. He's been a champion of the real Almanzo Wilder's story, carried the torch for the Laura Ingalls Wilder legacy, and become half the heart of contemporary Little House fandom (Alison Arngrim is the other half).  He spent years producing a talk show for the Golf Channel. He comes across as a thoughtful, self-aware man who has access to an incredible platform, and uses it for good.

They say that you should never meet your heroes. Butler himself recounts more than one encounter with someone he admired that did not go well. I haven't met him, but if this book is anything to judge by, Dean Butler is exactly the person he seems to be. If you want to read a memoir that will shock you with secrets and harsh truths, go read anything Carrie Fisher wrote - she was candid and hilarious in her writing. If you want a fairly accurate portrait of one of Hollywood's genuine "nice guys," especially if you're a fan of Little House on the Prairie, you'll find Prairie Man a satisfying read.

Goes well with: cinnamon chicken (but personally I prefer shawarma).

I received a free digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and Citadel Books. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Little House on the Prairie television series inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. There have been and will be many in-person events across the country featuring many of the cast members. I had the pleasure of meeting Dean Butler 15 years ago at Laura Ingalls Wilder Days at Heritage Hill State Historical Park. I had two daughters and a son at the time and was expecting my fourth child. I was able to get two copies of Farmer Boy signed by Dean Butler for my daughters and enjoyed a talk he gave about the show and the books. (I also went the following year with Alison Arngrim as the featured speaker. If you have a chance to attend one of these events, do it!)

If there’s one thing you can take away from this book is that Butler has fully embraced his legacy as Almanzo Wilder of the small screen. This book comes across like a casual conversation between friends. He’s very interested in history and can proudly say he’s a 6th or 7th generation Californian. He knows his family history for the most part, which he relays in an entertaining manner, and he’s also very aware of the real history of Laura and Almanzo Wilder. He may not have come into the roll of Almanzo Wilder knowing anything about the books, but he sure does now.

Besides sharing his memories of his time on LHOTP, Butler also talks about some of the other roles he’s had over the years, both in front of and behind the camera. The big break for him was the TV movie, Forever, based upon the salacious Judy Blume YA novel that my friends and I smuggled into school and read at recess time. He was also in the New Gidget, which I remember watching because I loved the Sally Field version well and because he was in it. I did not know he was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer portraying her dad as I’ve never watched the show, but now I may check it out.

For as much as Prairie Man comes across as a book where the author is an open book, he does mention that he hasn’t revealed all. Heck, he spent a chapter vaguely talking about a relationship that ended up in a brief first marriage without even mentioning the woman’s name. A quick Google search reveals nothing, which is fine. I don’t believe Butler owes us every detail of his life. He could have not mentioned it at all.

The memories of his five years working with Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon are fleshed out and he’s quite candid about things. He emphasized that the Michael Landon he worked with was different than the Landon Melissa Gilbert worked with, and different from Karen Grassle’s memories. I honestly don’t know how any work got done with all the drinking done behind the scenes. I recently rewatched Little House on the Prairie and despite its wholesome image, there were some really heavy and depressing episodes. I still love it, but you definitely see things differently as an adult that you don’t notice as a child.

I’ve been revisiting as many of the LHOTP cast members’ memoirs this year and have to say that Butler’s is among the best. Keep an eye on this space for a round-up of reviews!

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the copy of Prairie Man by Dean Butler. I have read thousands of books but have never been interested in memoirs. I’m not sure why this one appealed to me, maybe it’s the fond memories of watching Little House. Because it was my first memoir it took me a few pages to really get into it, but I ended up getting into the rhythm of the book. It was fun to discover that I’m about the same age and grew up in the same area as Butler. I loved that he was candid about his triumphs as well as his disappointments, and didn’t sugarcoat anything or anyone all while being kind and decent. There was just enough about Little House to show the impact it had on his life without overshadowing his other accomplishments.

As a fan of the books and TV series, I started reading #PrairieMan the evening it arrived from #NetGalley. Dean Butler's playful prose and heartfelt memories made it an enjoyable read. Receiving acclaim as Almanzo aka Laura's Manly, Dean's career trajectory includes stage and screen.

Throughout the years, his costars describe him as retaining his humble demeanor and expressing gratitude for his years in the industry. Butler's tell-tale blush remains and depicts the actor's genuineness. Filled with stories of his ancestry, childhood, dreams, family and Little House years, fans and first timers alike will delight in traveling to Walnut Grove and falling in love with Almanzo and Dean.

“Little House isn’t just something I did for a few seasons in my twenties; it remains a vital part of my life.”

Who else had a crush on Manly when they were growing up?!

I never read a memoir/autobiography until I joined Bookstagram and since then I’ve really been enjoying them. I reached out for this one because Little House on the Prairie (both book and TV series) was a BIG part of my growing up.

This is the most gracious memoir I’ve ever read. That’s a ‘thing’, right?

The first thing you’ll notice is that it reads like a friend is chatting to you over a cup of coffee. It’s a relaxed and easygoing, albeit one-sided, conversation. I closed the book thinking that I wanted to be friends with this man and his wonderful wife. He embodies all of the qualities I hope to manifest, and there’s no swearing and no gossip. Furthermore, he openly takes responsibility for all his ‘mistakes’ and graciously segues to another topic. I finished this one KNOWING that there was a reason Michael Landon chose Dean to portray Almanzo Wilder.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of LHOTP debut: It aired on NBC Sept. 11, 1974.

Dean Butler graduated from university in May 1979 on his 23rd birthday and two days later he set out on the adventure that would shape the rest of his life. He’d been cast in a role at 22 and he’d play Almanzo Wilder until he was 27 years old. He shared that he “spent barely five years as Alamanzo, but for millions, I am him and he is me.”

Little House on the Prairie had been on the air for 5 seasons when Dean was cast in his role. When he arrived at Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley on May 22, 1979 for his first day of shooting, he’d never watched an episode!!!

Things you’ll learn: (no spoilers)

✔️Why his parents were influenced to name him Dean
✔️Why acting appealed to this quiet, unnoticeable person
✔️How reconnecting with a cast member 15 years after first meeting on the set changed his life
✔️The 7/11 concept in Hollywood studios
✔️Imposter syndrome and why so many actors suffer with it
✔️The parallels between his life and the life of the man whom he portrayed on TV
✔️Melissa’s mother’s outburst on set and the reason behind it
✔️Rejection from Madonna and William Shatner
✔️Chapter 15 will have you Googling what he doesn’t share…
✔️How Capt. B.J. Honeycutt appeared as one of those 6 degrees of connection in his life
✔️How Edwin S. Friendly, Jr.’s daughter, Brooke, is to thank for the influence in his life.
✔️Why LHOTP was so popular and what Michale Landon created that was so well received
✔️the huge impact of our choices

I highly recommend this to all LHOTP lovers and memoir readers alike!

As a lifelong Little House fan of the books and then the show, I was thrilled to get an early copy.
I spent a lot of time on YouTube watching clips Butler refers to in getting his acting chops that I was unaware.
It’s a heartfelt book, candid in some areas but opaque in others. There a couple of little bombshells he reveals that cannot even be unearthed when googling him. I like that he is a decent man and humble, which wafts off the pages.
The one critique I have is he tends to wander into his sidebar commentary quite often and he gets a little preachy. He assumes an apologetic stance for stuff that was normal over 40 years ago and judges it through today’s lens. He makes an entire chapter about the kiss on LH and I thought it got beaten into the ground. The age difference between he and Melissa Gilbert may have been uncomfortable but it wasn’t uncommon. He made a comment in the book that those types of relationships weren’t happening in real life. Yes, they were—Woody Allen and Mia Farrow for instance.