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 Funny and charming story of an Indian high school student Nov 14, 2009
Junior lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation and decides to change his destiny by going to an off-reservation high school in a well-to-do white farming community. The book documents the misery of the reservation and the injustices of the wider society, but in the context of an ultimately triumphant freshman year.
Alexie's writing successfully puts you in Junior's shoes. You experience multiple personal tragedies and conflicts with friends but also his relentless determination and basic optimism. You might cry, but the dominant emotion of the book is laughter.
The most distinctive feature of the book is not its text but Ellen Forney's illustrations. She has perfectly capture the subject and range of a high-school cartoonist - - with careful still piece, thoughtful but cartoonish pictures of important people, and spur-of-the-moment doodles. The art is integral to the text and to the story, and represents one of the most remarkable collaborations of author and artist that I have seen.
Loved it!!!!!! A huge fan now!!! Nov 13, 2009
Wow, this book rocked my world!!!!! I was not expecting much from reading the back- it seemed like the plot of any typical comedy. But I decided to go with my gut and rent it- I'm actually regretting just renting it from the library and not buying it!!! It was so good that I read the whole thing in 2 hours. This book won me over- Something I wasn't expecting to happen right away!!!
Yes it's true that this book has the plot of any average comedic book, but the way Sherman does it, it's done in a way that you just can't help but be drawn in immediately. It is the perfect blend of comedy and drama, even romance too! I was not expecting much, but those 2 hours I spent reading it were 2 hours of laughs, heartbreak and uplift. I loved it, and wanted more! Hopefully there will be a sequel sometime soon.
Basically, the story is done from the viewpoint of Arnold, a young Native American boy who moves away from the reserve and settles in a new community in Spokane. He is enrolled in a rich school, where mostly white people are enrolled, and makes a new friend, and even gets a girlfriend too! However, home life isn't too pleasant- his sister is married without letting the family know, his dad is an alcoholic, and a series of twists and turns soon happen that vary between good and bad!
I won't tell you any more, because this book is so good that you have to read it. I may actually even go so far to say this is the best YRCA book I've ever read thus far!!! It's written in such a unique style that is both funny and truthful. Roald Dahl would certainly be proud! There's a lot of comics that are in the book, and they tie in with the story very well. THe humor is tasteful and tongue-in-cheek. I laughed myself silly!!! ANd of course there's sadness and ugliness, and it's done in a wy that is heartbreaking and honest.
I really loved this book, I can't praise it enough! Do yourself a favor and go buy it immediately!
Increasingly Visible Man Nov 06, 2009
As in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, cited by Sherman Alexie as one of his favorite reads, Junior in True Diary struggles to prove an identity to himself before he offers it to the world. Which ain't easy, when so many around him seek their identity in alcohol. Junior has talents, he himself is perhaps surprised to learn; he's smart, he's good with words, and he knows to shoot a basketball. And most amazing of all: the glorious Penelope actually likes him.
This book is poignant. It's funny. But what I like is that you sense that no matter how high Junior soars, sometimes at night he's still that kid fighting for respect. He'll still go out and loft a few jumpshots at the hoop on the garage. When the wind gets cold and out of the north he'll remember. That's his shining star. He's still that reaching, searching kid back on the rez.
Great Book Nov 03, 2009
This book is a very good story with many lessons to be learned. It covers many of life's issues yet it is very funny and entertaining. The connection that developed between me and Junior, the main character, was very strong. The only other time I have experienced such a reader-character relationship was in Catcher In the Rye. This book will make you laugh, cry, recollect, and connect. Those schools who banned this book should be punished. Of course there are some inappropriate parts of this book, but none of those parts are too inappropriate for high school students to read. I took a lot from this book and not once thought of the inappropriate segments. Simply a great book.
One of his best Nov 01, 2009
I read that some parents thought this book should not be read by their High school age children,all I can say is that I feel sorry for those children,this book should be REQUIRED reading for all school age children.
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