#34: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is one of the best books I have read so far in the Cannonball Read. I had heard of it before due to its winning the National Book Award and finally decided to give it a try. Once I started reading, I did not want to stop due to its thoroughly engaging story and great protagonist.

The story follows Arnold Spirit, AKA Junior, who is a freshman in high school on an Indian reservation in eastern Washington. Junior makes a stupid mistake involving his math teacher, who convinces him that he needs to go to school of the reservation in order to make something of himself. So Junior begins attending a wealthier, whiter school 22 miles away, where he struggles to fit in. This also leads to a rift with his best friend, Rowdy.

Much of the story centers around Junior's struggle to fit in. He feels out of place at his new school, but as he gradually begins to settle in, he starts to feel more out of place at home. Junior begins to make friends and joins the basketball team, and the reader can see many things starting to go well for him. Unfortunately, the situation on the reservation is another story. The main problems there are poverty and alcohol abuse, as many families struggle to make ends meet, and too many cope by drowning their sorrows. This leads to multiple tragedies involving people close to Junior.

My initial hesitation to read this book was based on the fact that I didn't think I would identify with the character, an Indian boy having an identity crisis. However, the writing was absolutely outstanding. Junior had great voice throughout the story, and I was anxious to follow him through the ups and downs of his life. The story also seemed authentic - a picture of what life is actually like on reservations today. This is a story I would highly recommend.