Most audiobooks are narrated by professional voice actors for good reason. Sherman Alexie read his own work and did an incredible job. I probably would have been pretty emotionally affected by the work alone, but I cried multiple times listening to Sherman Alexie read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. It’s really that good. I’d say the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to, but I haven’t yet reached double figures so I don’t have a lot of these under my belt. But it’s good. I’d even recommend it over the actual book.
What is it? Arnold Spirit is a Spokane Indian who decides to go to Reardon High School rather than one of the reservation high schools. The reservation schools are decrepit, under-supplied, under-staffed, and full of Indian kids who have no hope. Reardon, while full of redneck racist white kids, is one of the better small rural schools. The kids there, while not exactly being set up to be future presidents, have dreams that don’t involve the reservation. Arnold gets hope but has to deal with a whole different set of problems than he’s used to.
There are lots of reasons to like the story. The portrayal of alcoholism’s effect and the grief it engenders, for instance. Yet the book doesn’t feel like an anti-alcohol diatribe. There’s the love Arnold’s parents have for him and he for them. Family is everpresent. Arnold’s dad attends every one of his basketball games. Though he often doesn’t have the money to buy gas for the car, when he does he doesn’t hoard it. He drives Arnold in to school. Arnold views his sister’s elopement to Montana as her seeking her dreams. Arnold’s status as poor among the richer students at Reardon is handled with sensitivity. And while I question how realistic the race interaction is, it didn’t become a cliché Indian vs. white thing either. The reaction of the Spokane Indians to a white art collector’s guilt is priceless.
But the part I loved best about the story was Arnold Spirit’s relationship with his best friend Rowdy. Sometimes they contend. Sometimes they cooperate. Rowdy resents Arnold’s opportunity. Arnold regrets overshadowing Rowdy. Sometimes people as close together as Rowdy and Arnold have issues. I like how Alexie has them work things out.
On the top of my list for favorite books read this year.
Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie
Imprint / publisher: Recorded Books
Format: Netlibrary download
Length: 4 h. 51 m.
Publication date: January 2008
ISBN-13: 978-1-4281-8297-4
Subject: Spokane Indians — Juvenile fiction
Subject: Spokane Indians — Fiction
Subject: Indians of North America — Washington (State) — Fiction
Subject: Indian reservations — Fiction
Subject: Race relations — Fiction
Subject: Diaries — Fiction
LC classification: PZ7.A382 Ab 2007
