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

-

 The Absolutely Irresistible Diary of a Part-Time Indian 


I fell in love with this book from page one! A poor, hungry, sickly, bullied fourteen-year-old Spokane Indian boy with a stutter and a lisp tries to muddle through his first year at an all-white high school.  Junior chooses to navigate two different worlds when he leaves his dreary life on the Indian reservation to attend school in the privileged white town of Reardan. Despite, or maybe because of all the tragedy in his life, Junior faces each day with an astute, sharp-as-a-blade wit and a soaring spirit.  

 

His alluring narration is heartbreaking, funny, sad, and uplifting. It covers a rainbow of emotions.  I’m so glad I finally read this celebrated, charming young adult novel that won a National Book Award! 

 

Here are some lines from the book that really grabbed me:

 

“He couldn’t beat me up with his old man fists, but he could hurt me with his old man words.” 

Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007), 35.

 

“I was carrying the burden of my race, you know? I was going to get a bad back from it.” 

Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007), 45.

 

“I don’t know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature.”

Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007), 51.

 

“Lies have short lives. Lies go bad. Lies rot and stink up the joint.”

Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007), 119.

 

“Do you understand how amazing it is to hear that from an adult? Do you know how amazing it is to hear that from anybody? It’s one of the simplest sentences in the world, just four words, but they’re the four hugest words in the world when they’re put together.

You can do it.”

Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007), 189.

 

 

Happy Reading!

 

Annette




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

-
Image
  You Go, Girl! Pure love—that’s what I felt about this book!  It’s smart, witty, and emboldening! I don’t know how many countless times I cheered or chuckled.   A female chemist struggles to rise above the chauvinistic male domination of the 1960s and live life on her terms despite ingrained oppression of women.  Hooray for this feminist heroine who points out that just because women’s bodies are smaller than men's doesn’t mean their brains are!   I fell in love with brilliant Elizabeth and her support system:  her impressively  smart daughter Mad; her straightforward neighbor Harriet; her kind-hearted producer Walter, the irreverent Reverend Wakely; and her obstetrician/rower Dr. Mason. Oh, and let’s not forget Six-Thirty, her beloved dog!   I would definitely be one of Elizabeth’s devoted fans of her show,  Supper at Six !  If my kids were still at home, I’d mimic Elizabeth and tell them, “Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself.” (Even though I’m not the
Read more

Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

-
Image
 Remains of the Day This book immediately struck me as a character study. I didn’t expect much action, and predictably, didn’t get much.  Mostly it was about getting inside a stuffy, dignified butler’s head, listening to his internal dialogue, his thought process, and his many recollections of a thirty-year career, annnnnnnnnnd—I LOVED IT!!  💗 It had such depth and insight that I couldn’t wait to return each day to see what Mr. Stevens would reveal and what the outcome of his quest would be.  I was not disappointed.  In fact, the book stirred me more than I expected.  Yes, those tears fell freely when I wasn’t looking.  It snuck up on me—all of it, all of Mr. Stevens’ days that he shared moved me in some way.   I’m not sure this book is for everyone.  "Boring" is how one friend described it as he politely set it aside. BUT I truly believe if my friend got into his Zen mode and picked it up again, he might—if not quite LOVE it—at least appreciate it.  In my opinion this book
Read more

All the Broken Places by John Boyne

-
Image
  Guilt and Consequences. Oooh this book knocked me off my feet!  I have read a lot of good books, but this one was one of the best I’ve read in a long time!   It’s about guilt, conscience, our role in society and as humans.  It was such a well-crafted slow burn, I had a difficult time putting it down.     In this riveting narrative, we are pulled from one page to the next edging toward a 91-year-old woman’s secret from WWII.  At the same time a drama plays out in current-day London, with both culminating to a jaw-dropping moment.   So good!!    Here are a couple lines to give you a taste of the book.   “I told myself that none of it had been my fault, that I had been just a child, but there was a small part of my brain that asked me, if I was entirely innocent, then why was I living under an assumed name?”   –pg 29   Gretel thought the sparkle had left her eyes—her best feature. “Now they were the color of barbed wire, of rusty ovens, of smoke and ash.”  –pg 98   “My wife belongs to m
Read more