"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie, a banned book

Book Review

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian"
By Sherman Alexi

This is the true story of a Native American baby who was supposed to die and didn't. It's the story of a young boy growing up with reservation rules and culture, who gained the protection of the toughest kid on the rez.

And it's the story of a teenager who decided he needed Out of his reservation's school. He didn't just pick Any school to attend. He picked the Best school available, an all white school.

With his parent's support he succeeds at school while learning there are Different ways to live than the one with which he has grown up. During the day he is in school where "reservation rules" don't apply. Every night he is driven home and must deal with being perceived as a traitor to his people.

This author talks frankly about the destruction alcohol has on his family and all of the families around him. By the time he is 14, he has already attended more than 40, yes, Forty funerals.

In the endthis young man begins to discover that he belongs to many "tribes". First are the tribes he is born to. Then come many others including the tribe of teenage boys who are, let's see, I don't want to get this Review banned. Let's call them chronic self-pleasurers.

There are only 2 reasons I can think of for banning this book from the Stockton, Mo. Schools. 1. Mr. Alexi speaks the truth about American history and life on his reservation. And 2. He chose to use a more ordinary word for "self-pleasuring."

There is no gratuitous violence or graphic descriptions of sexing this book. This reviewer thinks that only a denial of reality could lead to the banning of this book which she recommends to readers.