The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (National Book Award Winner)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian -by Sherman Alexie I admit it, I've ben in love with Sherman Alexie's writing for years. Especially his poetry. I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, but I now have and truly admit, I love it. Oh, there is a ** above, I'd best explain now, before I forget. I read this on my Kindle Fire, and there are several delightful illustrations, unfortunately, I could not expand them beyond postage stamp size, which is too bad, because they are wonderful. They are drawn by the protagonist, and add a great deal to the story. They should be seen full size. Mr. Alexie is a member of the Spokane Indian Tribe, and this is his story, with a few changes. The hero of the story, Arnold "Junior" Spirit, is a young man struggling to find himself, and decides to leave the reservation and attend a 'white' school in town. He is the only brown skinned student. And the poorest of the lot, but he has an upbeat attitude and earns acceptance from his white friends, and enmity from his Indian ones. This novel tells about those experiences, being half white while on the 'rez' and half Indian while at Reardon with a great sense of humor. Mr. Alexie is not afraid to tackle situations that the young people of today face, and he does it well. I can offer absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book. In fact, there are several study questions in the back, making this an ideal book for classroom reads. Arnold is a very likable protagonist, as are most of his friends. He is fourteen, hormones are beginning to rage through his veins, he's discovered girls, one in particular. He competes on the basketball court, and when Reardon plays Wellpinit, his old Indian school, he is booed and beaten by his ex teammates who think he's a traitor. The first game. The next game is a bit different. I laughed out loud in this book. Although I didn't cry, I was genuinely sad in a few places. I would love to have Arnold stop by for a visit, he's quirky, and fun, and not afraid of life. I strongly suspect Mr. Alexie is the same. I'd love to have him stop by for a visit, too. For a good read from twelve years on, buy and read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I think it would make a great movie. Would love to see Studio Ghibli do something with it!

I have a personal connection to this book, so I had to buy it for my library. I knew Sherman when I was a little kid. He was about 10 years older than me and in high school at the time... yes, the same high school he writes about in this book. It was interesting to me to read this and try to figure out who he was writing about. He did change most of the names, but some were obvious...lol. Most people won't have the same experience as I did reading this book, but I still recommend it to everyone since the subject matter is worth learning about. Being that it is a young adult book, it is an easy read... but there is a lot of meaning in the story as well. I love the humor in it too. Love it!

I read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to fulfill the prompt of “A book about or involving a sport” (basketball, in this case) for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. The book had been lingering on my TBR for the past 3 years, and this seemed like a good time to finally get into it. This semi-autobigraphical YA novel follows the adventures of Arnold Spirit, AKA Junior. Junior is a Spokane Indian who lives on the reservation. Born with hydrocephalus, Junior is a 14-year-old boy who dreams of being a cartoonist, and uses cartoons to deal with his feelings regarding his dysfunctional family, poverty, community, and the world at large. Arnold’s life changes when he decides he wants to leave the reservation and attend a different school, where the only other Indian is the school mascot. This book is fairly short, but touches on a lot of topics such as poverty, race relations, alcoholism, enforced governmental segregation, and how one person seeking to better themselves can feel like a betrayal to others in a tight-knit community. It manages to make its points without being preachy, and while maintaining a sense of humor even while navigating losses and tragedies. The book does dip into (what I would consider typical) 14-year-old boy issues, such as masturbatory skills and the sometimes awkward timing of erections, but isn’t unnecessarily explicit. 4 out of 5 stars.

I was looking for a book to write an essay for my Race and Ethnicity class when I came across The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. I had read an excerpt of it about a year ago in a humanities class and remembered that, although short, it was charming. Before I say how much I loved this book, I want to point out that I read a lot of the Amazon reviews about it. I read and five star and some one star. Some of the one star reviews almost scared me away from reading it calling it immature, vulgar, and unintelligent. They said it was wildly inappropriate for teens and some even said it was anti-Christian. I gave it a chance anyway and honestly none of those things are true. I'm not saying there wasn't strong language, or masturbation topics but it was very brief and didn't compromise the integrity of the overall message what so ever. So as a result of the negative reviews I proceeded with caution. My expectations were pretty low going in however I was immediately surprised. I was hooked right away. Junior is a complex and likable character. I was so completely blown away by how amazing this book is. Kids should read this book because it's so relatable. It's real, it's raw, and somehow manages to touch your heart and make you cry. Seriously, you laugh and cry with Junior. As a sociology major, I took a special interest in this book. I was captivated by how Alexie painted such a clear picture of the stereotypes of Native Americans, especially those on the reservations. He included how intimidating and difficult it would be to try to assimilate into a new culture, by using the metaphor that Junior had been rocketed to a different planet where he didn't know the rules. Junior represents minorities who feel oppressed or feel inclined to perpetuate that self fulfilling prophecy. He is the kid who had a dream and gave himself more credit than did the rest of the world. Junior comes from a long line of chronic poverty, alcoholism, addiction, and tragedy. In other words, not very much hope or promise. And although real life is much more complicated than a fiction book, it is a wonderful thing to dream and to be reminded to never sell yourself short. One of my favorite elements Alexie used to portray the racial inequality in his book was by creating two halves of the main character. One is Junior. He's Native American, poor, and lives on a reservation. He is everything traditional Indian, through and through. And you have his other half, Arnold, who identifies as white, who as this bright future, and his cup is overflowing with hope! But we're still talking about the same character. This is so important because it emphasizes how race is a social cultural construct. He says how in traveling between the two towns, the white town and the reservation, he experienced an extreme solitariness, where he was half-Indian in one place and half-white in the other. His identity was changing because he now has this outside influence that was Rearden in his life that was making him less of an Indian by making him more white. Surely the color of his skin or other Indian features did not change into Caucasian features. It's pointing out a very influential socially constructed idea that affects everyone on some level. It's an important thing for people to learn, especially early on. Overall I loved this book, I read it in two days, I will read it again, and I definitely recommend it. I loved following along with Junior in his journey to figure out what he really is capable of. It's an inspiring and down to earth story of a boy who faced stereotypes and racial inequity as well as many deep tragedies and overcame it all. This is a very easy and quick read with such a powerful message. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Sherman Alexie is one of the greatest authors of all time. Let me explain this. He has the ability to speak TO YOU through his words. Every time I read one of his books, I feel like he's talking to me and telling me his life story. His writing always sucks me in from the first page. I always laugh and cry, because let's face it, he's funny, but the stories themselves are heartbreaking, and there is no doubt in my mind that the stories he tells are at least inspired by true events, and that breaks my heart even more. Alexie's unique voice, sarcastic sense of humor, and well-developed, unique cast of characters add to his engrossing plots to make unforgettable books. True Diary is no exception to that. True Diary is told from Junior's POV, and you can't help but feel sympathy for Junior right away. He was born with water on the brain, after all, and that's enough to make anyone feel bad for you... or call you names, depending on if you're in high school or not. Ahh the best years of your life, high school is not. Junior tells a story of poverty, heartbreak, love, and loss. He explains life on the reservation and lets people know that it's not anything like most people would expect. Junior's story is an inspiration to all of us, regardless of our backgrounds, because he never lets anything get him down. He fights for himself, for an education, and for a life. That sets him apart from the others on the reservation, and they judge him even more because he has ambitions. But Junior doesn't give up... he never gives up. Junior gets angry because his reservation school textbook is over 30 years old. He throws the book and gets suspended. The teacher isn't mad at him, however, and after giving Junior a pep talk, Junior decides to go to an all white high school so that he can actually get a good education. Junior's parents are too poor to get him there on most days, though, and he ends up walking over 20 miles there and 20 miles back just to get an education. His best friend from the reservation, Rowdy, hates him for leaving, and Junior feels all alone in this new world. At the white high school, Junior experiences blatant racism from the students, but he quickly shows them that he won't take their crap, and he actually makes some really good friends. He tries to hide how poor he is, but they find out. Instead of judging him, they try to help him. Throughout the novel Junior evolves, and the reader goes on this emotional journey of growing up with him. You can't help but root for Junior, and when things go wrong, you cry for him. The book isn't too serious, though, because Alexie is wonderfully sarcastic. I was torn between laughing and crying throughout the whole novel. Every single character in the book is well-developed. There are no cookie-cutter types... at least not from my perspective. Everyone is dynamic and unpredictable. Alexie does a terrific job of showing that no one's life is what it seems. There are many surprises, both good and bad in this novel. Nothing is straight-forward because people's lives aren't straight-forward. We're all complicated, and it's clear that Alexie understands that. The pacing of the book is excellent, and there isn't a single dull moment. There are a lot of events that happen throughout the novel to keep the reader engaged, and when something tragic or hilarious isn't happening, then Junior is drawing cartoons of how he sees things, which is pretty funny. I really loved the addition of the drawings to the text. It made the book that much richer. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a book that you do not want to miss. If you haven't read the novel yet, then you are missing out. If you've never read anything by Sherman Alexie before, then I am sad for you. You must get this book. You must read it now.

Before reading Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian I had very low hopes of the book being any good. Personally, I am not much of a reader, but I decided to give this book a try. Let me tell you, I enjoyed the book, from the comics to the actual story, it was so entertaining! As I flipped through the pages, absorbing more of the story, I found myself getting more into the book. Within a few hours, I was done with the book. As a teenager, I loved the humor carefully crafted by the author, it seemed like I was reading an actual book from a teenager. Before doing research on the book, it made me surprised the story was fiction. The story can be entirely made up, but I imagined the story was a close spitting image of what some Native-Americans on reservations have to go through. However, after I’ve done my research Alexie said, “If I were to guess at the percentage, it would be about seventy-eight percent true” (Horn Book Magazine). The book was published September 12 in 2007. Over 10 years later, the humor is still funny and it is pretty relatable. The author, Sherman Alexie, grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation and is best known for writing stories and films about his experiences as an Indigenous American. For this book specifically, he changed few details by making it more humorous to fit the category for young adult fiction. The overall plot of the book is a young teen named Arnold Spirit Jr. who lives on an Indian reservation and feels the whole world is against him. Born with birth defects easily prone to seizures and suffering from a stutter, he was raised by alcoholic parents who had very little to nothing money income. Junior was constantly bullied and to escape from this, Junior was passionate about drawing cartoons. After a talk with an important figure at school, Junior realizes he has to get out of the reservation. Junior transferred to an all-white high school called Reardon High School. There and then he faces even more bullying and tragedies in his life, from being called a traitor by his own people to important people in his life dying. Despite all this, Junior continued to draw cartoons and used humor to get over all the hardships and eventually found himself no longer feeling like an outcast. The most compelling part of the book was the characters. Overall, the characters were well developed. Every character has their own unique and distinct personality. I sometimes find myself confused or lost when a book has so many characters and very little information on them. However, Sherman Alexie was able to establish each character memorably. On another note, I wish more historical context of each character were provided, I really wanted to know more about the mysterious, drunk Eugene (when you read the book, you’ll know exactly what I mean). Sherman Alexie seemed to have put a lot of thought into the making of this book. Reading the book, everything flowed perfectly. The introduction of himself and his family to the transition of how life is like on the reservation then to Reardon High including all the hardships he had to face, the transitions were so smooth. I never found myself lost while reading this book. The book was not predictable at all, it is for sure an intriguing and original piece. While reading the book, there were few things that may seem controversial to other readers. There were few accounts where profanity and sexual references were used. The book also discusses alcohol, abuse, and bullying related to mental disabilities several times. However, I think all these controversial topics are important to learn about because it’s real life. In life, people use profanity, alcoholics exist, and those with mental disabilities do suffer from bullying. Topics like these make the book relatable in a way and the audience can have a good laugh from the dark humor. The overall message of the book appears to be a message of how important it is to have hope. Even if it seems like you are doomed to fail, you should have a positive hope and outtake for everything and you’ll achieve to what once seemed to be the impossible. From reading this, I have learned some of the few hardships of many that Native-Americans who live on reservations may have. I was close-minded to all the stereotypical things about Native-Americans to realize things like the stories in the book mentioned can actually happen. A reader can take away the hardships of a Native-American teenager who wants to live two lives as Junior from the Rez and as Arnold from Reardon High School. I would recommend teenagers in high school and young adults to read Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the book would be most humorous and relatable to those in that age group. In addition, the book is a great tool to become open-minded of the issues that Natives who live in reservations must face. I would not recommend to younger children or even teenagers in middle school because of the few controversial topics, such as the profanity and sexual references that younger children may not understand. I can image parents being not so happy with their 10-year-old kid asking what an erection is. I highly recommend for everyone (young adults and up) to read this book! It was very entertaining and eye-opening.

The book ‘The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian’ is an awesome read that I would recommend to anyone and everyone with $15 in their wallet and a few hours of time. First off, let me speak about the build quality and the service provided by Amazon. The book arrived in good shape, and had no visible damage on it. I believe this took 3 or 4 days to arrive, which is a nice amount of time for free delivery. I couldn’t really ask more from Amazon. The book is a good read. The age range is for teenagers about 12-16, so it should be a very simple read for just about anyone. The book recounts Sherman Alexie’s high school career, and his struggles with bullying, racism, and the American school system on and off the Spokane reservation. Junior, the protagonist, does not fit in. He is a nerd who keeps getting beat up and bullied by his peers as well as adults in his community. As an impoverished Indian, he struggles with getting to school, and when he transfers schools he has to walk miles on end. The drawings and cartoons lighten up the read from the otherwise dark and depressing topics of systemic racism and hate towards the protagonist. If you want to get somewhat emotional, while still being entertained and having a laugh once in a while, this book will take you on that roller coaster ride. It is an easy read, and relates to high school students the most. If you are in high school, chances are you have read this book at least once, maybe twice already. I would still recommend reading this book regardless. Overall, I really liked this book. I am giving it 5 stars for the good price point, great story itself and the ease of the read. I would recommend this book to anyone, and I will probably read it again in the future.

It seems that this book is very polarizing. This appears to be due to its treatment of sensitive issues surrounding religion and faith, race, disability, and debates raging around abuse and neglect, among other subjects. Having taught high schoolers and college students, I found this book to be an accurate representation of the way young people perceive and relate to the world around them. Alexie touches on serious subjects, like race, gender, class, discrimination, disability, death, and family, simultaneously with his teenaged narrator's wit and humor, particularly in Ellen Forney's cartoons and caricatures. While some of this humor is crass, it is not inappropriate; nor is it any different from the way young people talk amongst themselves. While I thought this novel could have spent more time dissecting and analyzing all of these issues (hence the lower rating), I must disagree with assessments that this subject matter is inappropriate or lascivious for middle and high schoolers. While it may not be appropriate for every pre-teen and teen to read, it is not pornographic or tasteless. Alexie, through his narrator, Junior, discusses what it means to be a young adult caught between two worlds. He does so in a way that does not omit, censor or make light of the less savory elements of puberty: his perceptions are honest and accurate. He and his friends communicate and experience life in a way that is not always "appropriate;" they discuss alcoholism, teen sexuality and disability in the same way that teenagers who are trying to find their place in the world do: as seriously as possible, and as humorously as possible when seriousness fails. It is doing a disservice to teens to paint a picture of life that is always appropriate; life is not always appropriate. When your family struggles with alcoholism and poverty, or your loved ones die, or your friends deal with eating disorders or physical ailments they are unable to control, or your future, and that of those around you, is limited by forces beyond your control, life is not appropriate. This novel attempts to deal with the realities of life in a way that is imperfect and developing, but relatable and real despite all that.