Sherman AlexieSherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianTime Indian

Why do you have to read this book?????? Why do you have to read this book?????? Because you’re going to love it! It’s a story Because you’re going to love it! It’s a story about a kid your age who has a lot of the same about a kid your age who has a lot of the same issues that you have. He’s a great, funny, and issues that you have. He’s a great, funny, and very real story-teller, and he draws pretty very real story-teller, and he draws pretty awesome cartoons and comics. This is his awesome cartoons and comics. This is his diary. diary.

Alexie’s InspirationAlexie’s Inspiration I read one poem in particular that was revolutionary I read one poem in particular that was revolutionary

and revelatory. The line was, ‘I’m in the reservation and revelatory. The line was, ‘I’m in the reservation of my mind.’ It was by Adrian Louis, a Paiute Indian of my mind.’ It was by Adrian Louis, a Paiute Indian poet. For me, that was like, ‘In the beginning . . .’ It poet. For me, that was like, ‘In the beginning . . .’ It was, ‘Because I could not stop for death, death kindly was, ‘Because I could not stop for death, death kindly stopped for me . . .’ It was, ‘ I sing the body stopped for me . . .’ It was, ‘ I sing the body electric . . .’ It was all that and more. It was the first electric . . .’ It was all that and more. It was the first line I ever read in any work, any fiction anywhere line I ever read in any work, any fiction anywhere that ever applied to something I knew. Literally, it that ever applied to something I knew. Literally, it was this flash of lightning, roll of thunder…I was this flash of lightning, roll of thunder…I understood everything that I ever wanted to be...[it understood everything that I ever wanted to be...[it was] like a light switch. And at that moment I knew I was] like a light switch. And at that moment I knew I wanted to be a writer.“wanted to be a writer.“

-from Bob Ivry, "From the Reservation of His Mind." -from Bob Ivry, "From the Reservation of His Mind." Bergen RecordBergen Record 28 June 28 June 19981998

The RezThe Rez

Spokane/Coeur d’AleneSpokane/Coeur d’Alene Spokane Indian Reservation, Wellpinit, WA Spokane Indian Reservation, Wellpinit, WA

(50 miles NW of Spokane)(50 miles NW of Spokane) 1100 Tribal members1100 Tribal members

ChildhoodChildhood

Born in 1966 hydrocephalic Born in 1966 hydrocephalic (water on the brain)(water on the brain) Underwent brain operation at Underwent brain operation at

6 mo.s; was not expected to 6 mo.s; was not expected to survive; he did.survive; he did.

Doctors said he would have Doctors said he would have severe mental retardationsevere mental retardation

Learned to read by age 3Learned to read by age 3 Grapes of WrathGrapes of Wrath by age 5 by age 5 ostracized from peersostracized from peers the brunt of jokes from other the brunt of jokes from other

kidskids

AdolescenceAdolescence Left the rez after finding his mom’s name in his Left the rez after finding his mom’s name in his

textbook – went to Reardan, WAtextbook – went to Reardan, WA Was the only Indian (other than the mascot)Was the only Indian (other than the mascot) Became star basketball playerBecame star basketball player

1985 graduated1985 graduated attended Gonzaga U., Spokane, then, WSU, Pullman, WAattended Gonzaga U., Spokane, then, WSU, Pullman, WA Planned to be a Dr.; fainted too many times in anatomy Planned to be a Dr.; fainted too many times in anatomy

classclass Stumbled into poetry workshop and eventually received Stumbled into poetry workshop and eventually received

W.S. Arts Commission Poetry Fellowship National W.S. Arts Commission Poetry Fellowship National Endowment for the Arts Poetry FellowshipEndowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship

Early PublicationsEarly Publications

Wrote Wrote The Business of The Business of Fancydancing Fancydancing and and I would I would Steal HorsesSteal Horses one year after one year after graduationgraduation

Alcoholic; became sober after Alcoholic; became sober after FancydancingFancydancing was published was published

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heavenin Heaven

Short story collectionShort story collection Atlantic Monthly Press, Atlantic Monthly Press,

19931993 Received Received

Pen/Hemingway Award Pen/Hemingway Award for Best First Book of for Best First Book of FictionFiction

Awarded Lila Wallace-Awarded Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Reader’s Digest Writers’ awardWriters’ award

Reservation BluesReservation Blues First novel, First novel, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1995Atlantic Monthly Press, 1995 Murray Morgan PrizeMurray Morgan Prize In the 111-year life of the Spokane In the 111-year life of the Spokane

Indian reservation, not one person has Indian reservation, not one person has arrived by accident-until the day the arrived by accident-until the day the black stranger appears with a guitar black stranger appears with a guitar slung over his back: legendary slung over his back: legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, in flight bluesman Robert Johnson, in flight from the devil and presumed long from the devil and presumed long dead. When he passes his enchanted dead. When he passes his enchanted instrument to young Thomas-Builds-instrument to young Thomas-Builds-the-Fire-storyteller, misfit, and the-Fire-storyteller, misfit, and musician-a magical odyssey begins. musician-a magical odyssey begins.

On HeroesOn Heroes

Most of my heroes are just decent people. Most of my heroes are just decent people. Decency is rare and underrated. I think my Decency is rare and underrated. I think my writing is somehow just about decency. Still, if writing is somehow just about decency. Still, if I was keeping score, and I like to keep score, I I was keeping score, and I like to keep score, I would say the villains in the world are way would say the villains in the world are way ahead of the heroes. I hope my writing can ahead of the heroes. I hope my writing can help even the score. help even the score.

from Laura Baratto, "On Tour: Writers on the Road with New from Laura Baratto, "On Tour: Writers on the Road with New Books." Books." Hungry Mind Review Summer 1995: 22.Hungry Mind Review Summer 1995: 22.

Indian KillerIndian Killer

Second novelSecond novel Atlantic Monthly Press, 1996Atlantic Monthly Press, 1996 Named a New York Times Named a New York Times

Notable BookNotable Book

Smoke SignalsSmoke Signals FilmFilm Released at Sundance Film Released at Sundance Film

Festival, 1998Festival, 1998 Received Christopher Received Christopher

AwardAward Presented to creators of Presented to creators of

artistic works “which affirm artistic works “which affirm the highest values of the the highest values of the human spirit”human spirit”

Nominated for 1999 Nominated for 1999 Independent Spirit Award for Independent Spirit Award for Best First ScreenplayBest First Screenplay

Poet, ComedianPoet, Comedian 1998 World Heavyweight 1998 World Heavyweight

Poetry BoutPoetry Bout Taos, New MexicoTaos, New Mexico Competed against world Competed against world

champ Jimmy Santiago champ Jimmy Santiago BacaBaca

First competition; he wonFirst competition; he won Only poet to hold the title Only poet to hold the title

for four consecutive yearsfor four consecutive years Stand-up comedian – still Stand-up comedian – still

performsperforms

Recent WorkRecent Work

Has won awards too numerous to mentionHas won awards too numerous to mention Recent work includes:Recent work includes:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Little Brown and Company, 2007Little Brown and Company, 2007 Won 2007 National Book Award in Young People’s Won 2007 National Book Award in Young People’s

LiteratureLiterature War DancesWar Dances, a collection of stories and poems, a collection of stories and poems

Hanging Loose Press, 2009Hanging Loose Press, 2009

Work in ProgressWork in Progress

Currently lives in Seattle, WA with his wife Currently lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and two sonsand two sons

Working on a documentary, Working on a documentary, Learning to Learning to DrownDrown, as well as several new writing projects, as well as several new writing projects

Frequently gives readings Frequently gives readings has read at Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane several has read at Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane several

times and was at Helena High a few years agotimes and was at Helena High a few years ago