Sabrana dela 3: Drugi bogovi

The main character Bert Holm is an ordinary, handsome, but rather average young American who accidentally becomes a national hero after he single-handedly conquers a difficult peak in the Himalayas. The media and the public make him a sensational “superman” – a symbol of American courage and superiority. Bert quickly gets used to fame, wealth and adoration, although deep down he knows that he is not what the masses think he is.

His wife Kit (a former teacher) is an intelligent, modest and moral woman who is increasingly horrified by the false image that has been created around her husband. While Bert enjoys the attention and power, Kit suffers because she sees the emptiness behind the myth. The novel follows their marriage and the conflict between true love and adoration, and criticizes how society creates false idols (“other gods”) instead of facing true values.

Buck here sharply dissects American society in the 1930s/40s: media manipulation, the masses' hunger for heroes, the superficiality of fame, and the danger of the cult of personality. The novel is less epic and more analytical and critical than her Chinese novels, emphasizing the theme: "The masses never worship the true god."