The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie has won more awards than JK Rowling’s Harry Potter Series including the National Book Award. Now normally, this fact would have me avoiding the book like a plague. I automatically know that it’s going to upset me. It’s going to be deep and meaningful and angst ridden and shockingly violent and while it might be beautifully crafted, I know that it’s going to leave me feeling worse after I read it than I felt before I read it, so I’m not going to read it.
However, this book has been bugging me all summer long. Every day I’d come into the bookstore, see it on the shelf, pick it up, see the National Book Award Winner sticker on front and put it back down reminding myself that I am going to hate myself for reading it. Yesterday, I gave into the temptation and as much as it pains me to admit this, I Loved It! It was everything that I’d feared it would be but it was also beautiful in a deep soul satisfying way.
It’s a book about friendship, heart shattering heartbreak, family, to the bone grief, and being true to yourself almost beyond endurance. But mostly, it’s about honest forgiveness of ourselves and others just for being human. It’s not an easy read. I almost put it back down after Chapter 2, but I’m glad that I didn’t. It is, perhaps, the most honest book I’ve ever read. I still view National Book Award Winners and Newberry Award Winner stickers more as warning labels than recommendations but in this case, I’m glad that I risked it.
Read an excerpt by clicking on the title of this post.
Enjoy!
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