The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Title: The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Author: Sherman Alexie

Required Text

This story is about a young Indian boy named Arnold or Junior (depending on who you ask). Arnold is your average teenage boy – he loves girls, basketball, and masturbating, but Arnold is also not-so-average. His life on the “rez” and the fact that he has an enormous amount of health problems for a boy his age on top of being poor, nearly-friendless, and overcome with the tragedy of alcoholism in his community all contribute to his not-so-average life. However, Arnold challenges these obstacles when he decides to get off the “rez” and go to an all-white high school in order to better his education. At first, he is treated as an outcast, but by the end of the book the love and acceptance he gains literally brought tears to my eyes. Told from the perspective of someone I found so easy to relate to, I fell absolutely in love with this story. It has been a long time since I have read a book this “real” and enjoyable – it really hit home for me. In fact, I believe it is the best story I have read all semester.

I would recommend this book to anyone and would use it in any classroom 7^th grade and up. Though some of the subject matter may be deemed inappropriate for younger audiences, I feel as if what the story has to say and the deeper messages involved override anything that would be questionable for younger students. More importantly, I think the way in which the story is written and the relatability of the characters make it all the more powerful. The tragedy presented in this book is also important as it speaks strongly against alcohol abuse, which is an important topic for all students to learn about and consider particularly at this age. All in all, I loved this book cover to cover and think it is an important read for all students.