Book Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Title: The Absolutely True Diar of a Part-Time Indian Author: Sherman Alexie Pages: 230 Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Year Published: 2007 "Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. Born with a variety of medical problems, he is picked on by everyone but his best friend. Determined to recieve a good education, Junior leaves the rez to attend an all-white school in the neighboring farm town where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Despite being condemned as a traitor to people and enduring great tragedies, Junior attacks life with wit and humor and discovers a strength inside himself that he never knew existed." My Rating: 9/10 I know what you're thinking, isn't that a bit racist of a title, but let me explain. This book is the story of an american indian/first nations boy who tells what some reservations are really like. It is both interesting and insightful. For many people, you have never seen a reservation, never been on a reservation or even really thought about what one would be like before. And that is understandable, you don't live in those conditions so you kind of block them out. This book showed me a side to reservations that I never really saw before, I realized that some conditions were bad, but I didn't really think about the violence, or the drinking. And I know that just because this talks about one reservation doesn't mean I need to judge the others, and I don't. I just wonder how there is such a great difference between them. This was not only a fictional story. This story was based on the author's, Sherman Alexie's, real life experience. I think by using something close to his heart Sherman Alexie hit a home run with this novel. THANK YOU SHERMAN ALEXIE FOR SHOWING THE TRUTH YOU HAVE KNOWN! Hope you all are having a good June :) Love, Sidny ♥♪♫

Spoiler: The Absolutely Ture Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This book was amazing! Insightful, humor-filled and right into the mind of teenager. This book is the story of Junior, or Arnold Spirit, a boy who has grown up on the Spokane reservation. He ends up leaving this reservation after a talk with a teacher. Going to a white school is probably the hardest thing he has ever done but I think for him it was worth it. I know that people are going to think that this book is racist, but it is really proving a point. Its showing that it doesn't matter where you come from, what race you are, what gender you are, or whether your the brightest bulb on the tree everyone has a right to a life, education and oppurtonity. This isn't always offered in the real world, but it needs to stop being an issue. If we all work together we can give children a quality education, food and over all life. Characters: Junior: Although the rest of the tribe doesn't think he's smart, he is incredibly intellegent and talented. He has a passion for learning and without Junior there wouldn't be a book. Rowdy: Junior's best friend who acts like a jerk sometimes, mostly because he's had a rough life. All and all, a good guy. Penelope: I can't believe no one did anything about her eating disorder. WTF!!!! Gordy: A small town sheldon cooper. But more awesome! Favorite/Memorable Lines and Moments: ♥Pg. 17 "He was always cring and screaming and kicking and punching. He bit his mother's breast when she tried to nurse him. He kept bitting her, so she gave up and fed him formula. He really hasn't changed much since then. Well, at fourteen years old, it's not like he runs around biting women's breasts, but he does punch and kick and spit." ♥Pg. 21 "I was lying on the ground, holding my nuts as tenderly as a squirrel holds his nuts, when Rowdy walked up." ♥Pg. 94 " 'I want us to be friends,' I said. 'Excuse me?' he asked. 'I want us to be friends,' I said. Gordy stepped back. 'I assure you,' he said. 'I am not homosexual.' " ♥Pg. 109 " 'Kid, you better keep your hands out of my daughter's panties. She's only dating you because she knows it will piss me off. So I ain't going to get pissed. And if I ain't pissed then she'll stop dating you. In the meantime, you just keep your trouser snake in your trousers and I won't have to punch you in the stomach.' " ♥Pg. 155 "My grandmother had no use for all the gay bashing and homophobia in the world, especially among other Indians. 'Jeez,' she said. 'Who cares if a man wants to marry another man? All I want to know is who's going to pick up all the dirty socks?' " ♥Pg. 191 "I mean you have to love somebody that much to also hate them that much, too." Have a good week folks, Love, Sidny♥♪♫