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Sherman
Alexie is known for his harsh depictions of Native American
life in the United States, often on "the rez" (reservations).
Alexie's first book for young adults—the semi-autobiographical
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian—aims
for the same social commentary with less fierceness than his
books for adults but with plenty of heart to a satisfying
end.
This
Diary belongs to Arnold Spirit—self-described
"biggest retard in the world"—who writes entries about
his life on the impoverished Spokane Indian Reservation and
beyond. Fourteen-year-old Arnie was born with "water on the
brain" which causes him to lisp and stutter his way through
each day on the rez and makes him a target for other kids'
insults. Also, Arnie has problems at home in the form of an
alcoholic father and an extremely poor quality of living provided
by the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs).
On his
first day of high school, Arnie is excited at the prospect
of learning new things, absorbing new books, and possibly
glimpsing a future beyond the poverty of the rez. But when
he opens his geometry book for the first time, he's disgusted
to find his mother's name inscribed in the front cover:
My
school and tribe are so poor and sad that we have to study
from the same dang books our parents studied from... And
let me tell you, that old, old,old, decrepit geometry
book hit my heart with the force of a nuclear bomb. My
hopes and dreams floated up in a mushroom cloud.
Knowing
that if he stays in the rez school he won't go anywhere in
life, Arnie makes a tough and controversial choice to go to
the local public high school.
Suddenly,
Arnie is caught between his old friends on the rez who feel
betrayed by Arnie's "abandonment" and his new enemies in the
form of his privileged white classmates at the local high
school. Arnie's engaging diary chronicles his year long struggle
to find his place at school, at home, and in his new life.
The entries are accompanied by lively ink drawings that dramatize
parts of Arnie's story, opening up a whole new avenue of enjoyment.
Fans
of Alexie will enjoy this new offering despite its YA label.
In many ways, Sherman is up to his old tricks with Diary,
and long time readers will recognize some of Alexie's favorite
anecdotes in the book's pages. The textbook with his mother's
name on the cover, for example, is a story Alexie often shares
at public appearances. Moreover, Diary returns Alexie
to the milieu in which many readers first discovered him;
Diary recalls Alexie's Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight
in Heaven more than once within its pages through its
impressions of growing up on the rez. The book is a return
to form for Alexie, which will please fans who may have been
disappointed by Alexie's last book, Flight.
For
fans of YA fiction, Diary more than delivers. The book
is an engaging coming-of-age story that rarely succumbs to
the maudlin display to which some writers fall victim in books
intended for teens. Alexie respects his readers and never
becomes cloying. Furthermore, Diary provides a window
into a world that many younger readers might not be familiar
with: the problems faced by contemporary Indians in America.
There are countless books that depict Native Americans throughout
history, but it's difficult to find engaging contemporary
descriptions. Diary fills a definite need in the YA
market for an under-represented minority. Best of all, though,
it's just a pleasure to read.
(October,
2007)
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