Sherman Alexie has fascinated me for a long time. When I was a lot younger and fascinated by native american culture, he was a handsome long-haired Indian making good. Prior to the Iraq War, I heard him talk at an anti-war protest in Seattle Center, and he was really good. I’ve bought a few of his books in the past and they’ve ended up in my to read pile, where they remain today (it’s probably more than a hundred books deep…my own personal library-in-waiting, and has some work by some of my favorite writers buried in it). But I did finish his “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” today.
Very fun. Brilliant. Slightly heartbreaking in a the way that good comedy illustrates the tragedy of being human, and yet in balance, the book was hopeful.
This is a good read for all ages, and might make a great gift for a teenager. Note – it’s not one of those YA books I’d recommend for precocious ten year old’s – Its really a teen read and above.