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

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
(Audio & hard copy)

I've been wanting to read this book for some time. In fact, I nearly put it on hold once, but I had so many books out of the library already then. When a book club I'm in chose it for July's book, I was more than happy to have an excuse to read it.

I got it out on audio, and it took me a while to get used to Sherman Alexie's voice. I've heard him talk before, in person, when he was a speaker at the AWP conference. But I've never had a conversation with him or anything. Considering that this work of fiction has so much truth in it (it's pretty much a fictionalized memoir) it makes sense to me that Alexie read it; I actually prefer authors reading their own memoirs, because of the emotion in those readings. Once I got used to his voice, I adored the telling. His accent isn't one that I'm incredibly familiar with, so I wouldn't have been able to hear it in my head if I'd just been reading, and it added a lot to the telling, especially at moments like when he mentions the sing-songy way Indians speak. But then I read an interview my publication did with Alexie where he talks about the comics in the book. Comics?! The main character is an artist, so I knew I had to get out a print copy of it so I could enjoy the illustrations as well. This is definitely a book to read twice. Earread it first and then read the print copy; you won't be disappointed.

When the main character, Junior, asks his parents who has the most hope, they answer: white people. Junior lives on an Indian reservation that is as close to a third world civilization as you'll find in the United States. However, there seems to be no way out of it, no way to break the cycle, without sacrifice. He can give up his culture and leave home to attend a high school populated by white people and get a great education... however, that means being shunned as a traitor by people on the rez. He does it anyway. He gets new opportunities, but he still has a tie to his family and the place he's lived his whole life. Thus, he's a part-time indian and able to see things about each culture by being both part of it and outside it at the same time. It's a magnificent perspective.

Through Junior's eyes, we experience the same. We see how he's treated. We suffer losses with him. We worry about him. We root for him. And we celebrate with him. This book made me go through every emotion possible. And it broke my heart a dozen times over. But I actually came out of it filed with hope and assurance that he'll make it through. Junior is sensitive and observant, but he's tough and braver than anyone else. It was a pleasure to get to know him and learn about culture and life through him. I can't wait to read the next one in the series (and I hope it's good enough to justify one for all four years of high school).