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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian –by Sherman Alexie

Novel

Grade Level: 7 and up

Footnotes/Endnotes: No

Suitable for eReaders: Yes, but**

Illustrations: Yes

5 Stars

I admit it, I've ben in love with Sherman Alexie's writing for years. Especially his poetry. I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, but I now have and truly admit, I love it.

Oh, there is a ** above, I'd best explain now, before I forget. I read this on my Kindle Fire, and there are several delightful illustrations, unfortunately, I could not expand them beyond postage stamp size, which is too bad, because they are wonderful. They are drawn by the protagonist, and add a great deal to the story. They should be seen full size.

Mr. Alexie is a member of the Spokane Indian Tribe, and this is his story, with a few changes. The hero of the story, Arnold "Junior" Spirit, is a young man struggling to find himself, and decides to leave the reservation and attend a 'white' school in town. He is the only brown skinned student. And the poorest of the lot, but he has an upbeat attitude and earns acceptance from his white friends, and enmity from his Indian ones.

This novel tells about those experiences, being half white while on the 'rez' and half Indian while at Reardon with a great sense of humor. Mr. Alexie is not afraid to tackle situations that the young people of today face, and he does it well. I can offer absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book. In fact, there are several study questions in the back, making this an ideal book for classroom reads.

Arnold is a very likable protagonist, as are most of his friends. He is fourteen, hormones are beginning to rage through his veins, he's discovered girls, one in particular. He competes on the basketball court, and when Reardon plays Wellpinit, his old Indian school, he is booed and beaten by his ex teammates who think he's a traitor. The first game. The next game is a bit different.

I laughed out loud in this book. Although I didn't cry, I was genuinely sad in a few places. I would love to have Arnold stop by for a visit, he's quirky, and fun, and not afraid of life. I strongly suspect Mr. Alexie is the same. I'd love to have him stop by for a visit, too.

For a good read from twelve years on, buy and read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I think it would make a great movie. Would love to see Studio Ghibli do something with it!

Enthralled with poetry

thrall –by Natasha Trethewey

Poetry

84 pages

Footnotes/Endnotes: Yes

Suitable for eReaders: Yes

Illustrations: No

5 Stars

For those of you who have not read Ms. Trethewey's poetry before, you are in for a treat! It is easy to understand why she was appointed Unites States Poet Laureate in June 2012.

These poems come from two primary sources – both common to all poets: art and family. She gives a very short introduction to the poems inspired by art, and though I have not seen the paintings she describes in actuality, after her poems I have seen the paintings.

She comes from Gulfport, Mississippi, and many of her poems are inspired by her parents, and growing up in that part of the world.

The poetry is beautiful, it sings with notes reaching deep sadness and full happiness. If you've ever wondered what kind of a poet becomes our US Poet Laureate, give this book a read. Her poetry can be read by anyone, it is not written for the "high brow," it is written for anyone who cares to pick it up and read it.

Not only is her poetry accessible, but I understand from some of my poet friends that she is, too. She has been reappointed as our nation's poet laureate. The poem that grabbed me when I picked up the book and opened it at random begins –

Enlightenment

In the portrait of Jefferson that hangs

            at Monticello, he is rendered two-toned:

his forehead white with illumination—

I stopped after that first stanza, thinking about several things, how enlightened he was for his time, how intelligent, and how dark. How he kept slaves; how he slept with one, Sally Hemings but did not acknowledge his sons by her even though they had his coloring and red hair, and barely his daughters; how his sons as his slaves helped build the university, but could not attend; how he would not free his children, but did help them 'walk' to freedom. Two-toned. Light and dark. Good and conflicted. Human.

Heroic With Grace

Heroic With Grace – Legendary Women of Japan – edited by Chieko Irie Mulhern

Nonfiction

322 pages

Footnotes/Endnotes: Yes

Suitable for eReaders: Yes

Illustrations: No

4 Stars

I bought this book primarily for the biography of Tomoe Gozen. I found the bios of the early women from Ancient Japan to be fascinating, but when I got into the bios of the more modern women, especially Hani Motoko, they did not hold my interest so much. Especially of Miss Hani Motoko. The author of that segment talked about what seemed like every educated woman during the Meiji period including the subject of her essay.

This book was published in 1991, and the later essays were written in the form of histories I so dislike – too many dates and dry facts, and not enough humanity.

If you are a student of Japan, this is a fascinating book, especially if you want to know how women were treated in ancient Japan. If you just want a fun read about some interesting women, well, I suggest Jessica Amanda Salmonson's trilogy about Tomoe Gozen that takes places in an alternate universe. A lot more fun. (Although the real Tomoe was pretty darned interesting in her own right!)

I gave it 4 stars because of the early essays.

The Lion and The Sun

The Lion and the Sun: A Novel  --by Richard Badalamente

Fiction

406 pages

Footnotes/Endnotes: No

Suitable for eReaders: Yes

4 Stars

This was a step out of my usual fiction read, and I'm very happy I took the step. Spy stories don't usually keep me reading for a variety of reasons (suffice it to say, I'd never have been a successful spy), but this book grabbed me and I began to resent when forced to put it down to take care of necessary business!

The hero, Daniel Conte, is wonder of wonders, human! He hurts, he feels, he has emotion (but not overly so). He is tracking down some stolen plutonium that the Russians don't want to admit is gone. He comes face to face with assassins, his Russian counterpart who becomes, well, a friend. There are flashbacks to the time when the Shah was overthrown and the American Embassy stormed, and those flashbacks are very, very important. And interesting, especially to those of us who remember that time.

Most of the story takes place in Europe and the Middle East, and the author's work as a senior analyst in national security with a focus on nuclear nonproliferation, counterintelligence, and counter terrorism certainly adds that oft-missing realism to this story. Plus it's obvious the author has visited the places (or at least some) he describes..

A fun read, a page burner, and a job well done, Mr. Badalamente! I can hardly wait to read the next book.

(Have you ever noticed they are read faster than the authors can write them?)

Oh Myyy! It's George Takei!

Oh Myyy! (There Goes the Internet) –by George Takei

Autobiography

244 pages  3605 KB

Footnotes/Endnotes: no

Suitable for eReaders: yes

5 Stars

  

I bought this book for my Kindle Fire, and 'saved' it for a special occasion. That came on the day I spent 10 hours in the hospital while a friend had open heart surgery. I not only enjoyed the book, but, believe me, I needed it! (The surgery was a success, thanks for asking.)

If you're of an age, and believe me, I am, and faced with the intricacies of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and the rest of today's technologies, this is the book to read. No, it isn't a 'how to' book, it's a great romp through George Takei's learning and mastering same. He makes it sound so simple, so easy, and at the same time, doesn't make me feel like I'm such a dunce.

It's like having Mr. Sulu explain all the electronics on the bridge of the Enterprise in language I can actually understand. (But, in that dreamy bass voice of his, would I even hear the words, or just the music?)

For anyone with a great sense of humor, who loves all the geeky stuff, who loves cats, the internet (ok, and George Takei;-) this is the book for you! A fun read, just what the Doctor ordered! Take with lots of laughs, a few chuckles, and a humongous smile!

My only complaint was the pictures were small, and I couldn't get them to expand. That's not Mr. Takei's fault, that's Mr. Kindle's fault.