Cover of The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon

The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon

a novel

  • 1991 first published
  • 355 pages
  • ★ 4.7 (3 ratings)
  • 10 editions

Published in 1991, The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon is a bisexual fiction and historical fiction novel by Tom Spanbauer. It takes readers to Western U.S and Idaho in 1900. Key subjects include Two-Spirit, Berdache, Gay and Indians of North America.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, and 50 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 10 editions across 3 languages.

At about 355 pages, most readers finish it in 6–7 hours.

About The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon

The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon provides a unique view of the Old West unlike anything told before. The narrator, Shed, is one of the most memorable characters in contemporary fiction: a half-Indian bisexual boy who lives and works at the Indian Head Hotel in the tiny town of Excellent, Idaho. It's the turn of the century, and the hotel carries on a prosperous business as the town's brothel. The eccentric characters working in the hotel provide Shed with a surrogate family, yet he finds in himself a growing need to learn the meaning of his Indian name, Duivichi-un-Dua, given to him by his mother, who was murdered when he was twelve. Setting off alone across the haunting plains, Shed goes in search of an identity among his true people, encountering a rich pageant of extraordinary characters along the way. Although he learns a great deal about the mysteries and traditions of his Indian heritage, it is not until Shed returns to Excellent and witnesses a series of brutal tragedies that he attains the wisdom that infuses this exceptional and captivating book.
Description from Open Library

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Setting

Era

Subjects

  • Two-Spirit
  • Berdache
  • Gay
  • Indians of North America
  • Bisexual
  • Indians of north america
  • Contemporary romance
  • Westerns
  • LGBTQ historical fiction
  • Stonewall Book Awards

Quick answers

Who wrote The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon?

The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon was written by Tom Spanbauer and first published in 1991.

What genre is The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon?

It is usually shelved as Bisexual Fiction and Historical Fiction.

How long is The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon?

The median edition has 355 pages, about 6–7 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon?

Readers who like it often enjoy Satyricon, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and The Kindly Ones.

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