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IEFA Book Club Blog-This is a continuous blog throughout the course of a year.
Fall 2012
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Who is Sherman Alexie?
Novelist, poet, film-maker and National Book Award-winning writer
His book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, according to Chirs Shoemaker of the New York Public Library is about:
Exploring Indian identity, both self and tribal, Alexie’s first young adult novel is a
semi-autobiographical chronicle of Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, WA.The bright 14-year-old was born with water on the brain, is regularly the target of bullies, and lovesto draw. He says, “I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.” He expects disaster when he transfers from the reservation school to the rich, white
school in Reardan, but soon finds himself making friends with both geeky and popular students andstarting on the basketball team. Meeting his old classmates on the court, Junior grapples withquestions about what constitutes one’s community, identity, and tribe. The daily struggles of reservation life and the tragic deaths of the protagonist’s grandmother, dog, and older sister would
be all but unbearable without the humor and resilience of spirit with which Junior faces the world.The many characters, on and off the rez, with whom he has dealings are portrayed with compassionand verve, particularly the adults in his extended family. Forney’s simple pencil cartoons fit perfectly within the story and reflect the burgeoning artist within Junior. Reluctant readers can even
skim the pictures and construct their own story based exclusively on Forney’s illustrations. Theteen’s determination to both improve himself and overcome poverty, despite the handicaps of birth,circumstances, and race, delivers a positive message in a low-key manner. Alexie’s tale of selfdiscovery
is a first purchase for all libraries.” –Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library
