Jon Hickey’s “Big Chief”

Eric Newman speaks with Jon Hickey about his debut novel “Big Chief.”

By LARB Radio HourMay 16, 2025

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Eric Newman speaks with Jon Hickey about his debut novel Big Chief. The book is a gripping political thriller about the struggle for power, belonging, and destiny set against a tribal election campaign on a fictional reservation. It follows the story of Mitch Caddo and his childhood friend, Max Beck, who is seeking reelection as the tribal president of the Passage Rouge Nation. As Max’s reelection turns ruthless and agitated protesters turn out in force, Mitch is caught between loyalty, love, and his own conflicted sense of purpose—not least because Max's opponent, Gloria Hawkins, is backed by his estranged sister Layla, Mitch’s former love. When a tragic plane crash reveals a political and financial bombshell, Mitch and the tribe’s future hangs in the balance. Eric and Jon discuss the many meaty questions that suffuse Big Chief, including tribal identity and the long legacies of historical trauma the US government has inflicted on Native Americans.