The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

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

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm actually tempted to add this to my "biography" shelf (or "autobiography" to be strictly accurate) as well as my "ya fiction" shelf because this story is so close to how Sherman Alexie described his own life when I heard him speak a few years ago at the PLA conference in Seattle. It's a funny, poignant book about a Spokane Indian teenager who decides to buck the odds and go to school 22 miles away in a small town full of white folks. He faces all kinds of obstacles and culture shock as he adjusts to his new school and deals with his own people viewing him as a traitor for aspiring to overcome crushing poverty and personal loss and do something with his life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, even though I think Alexie is funnier in person. If you're recommending this book to kids, keep in mind that it's written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy, so there are some references to masturbation & breasts, etc.


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