Alexie’s writing style feels intimate and raw, as you are reading along it feels more like he is talking with you instead of writing for you. I think he has a very important story and perspective to tell, and the geographical references make it more personal for me. My daughter was born in the same hospital as he was, and I have been inside his high school in Reardan. His writing is colorful, witty, full of analogies, and OH! the doodles! While he doesn’t pretend to be tender about some serious issues, he manages to keep the novel light-hearted.
I was reading this on a slow night at work, and apparently Alexie used to date a girl that lived next door to one of my regulars! My customer thought Alexie was a pretty decent guy, but doesn’t care much for his writing (lol). In one of my previous English classes at EWU with Flinn, we read all or part of Alexie’s Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock. This was my first exposure to Alexie, and to the clip of Jimi Hendrix playing the anthem. We also watched an interview with Alexie on the Colbert Report, and it was one of the few times one of Steven’s guests got the upper hand of the conversation.
This will definitely make the shelf in my future classroom, and maybe I will be able to use at least excerpts in my curriculum. It could be the gateway to topics such as social justice, racism, or coming of age. I am always interested in people who have not only survived insurmountable obstacles, but also managed to shine afterwards. Students need to know about the inspiring Alexie’s and the Beah’s (my book talk author) in this world.
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