Sherman Alexie
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Sherman Alexie Native American writer and poet
description
Sherman Alexie. Native American writer and poet. FICTION WORKS. YAL Titles: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian (2007) Flight (2007) more mature War Dances (2009). The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993) Reservation Blues (1995) Indian Killer (1996) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Sherman Alexie
Sherman AlexieNative American writer and poet
FICTION WORKSThe Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993)
Reservation Blues (1995)
Indian Killer (1996)
Toughest Indian in the World (2000)
Ten Little Indians (2004)
YAL Titles:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian (2007)
Flight (2007) more mature
War Dances (2009)
PoetryThe Business of Fancydancing: Stories and PoemsI Would Steal HorsesOld Shirts & New SkinsFirst Indian on the MoonSeven Mourning Songs for the Cedar Flute I Have Yet to Learn to PlayWater Flowing HomeThe Summer of Black WidowsThe Man Who Loves SalmonOne Stick SongIl powow della fine del mondoDangerous AstronomyFace
Screenplays
Smoke SignalsThe Business of Fancy
Dancing
BiographySherman Alexie on PBS
Born on the Spokane Indian Reservation
Had cranial surgery at 6 months old but learned to read at age two and later underwent teasing for his enlarged skull and advanced intellect
Chose to go to Reardan High School (predominately white)
Captain of the basketball team and member of the debate team
Went to Gonzaga on Scholarship for pre-med then transferred to WSU and studied poetry
Overcame alcoholism with publication of poetry
Lives in Seattle
Novels often have autobiographical elements
Themes in Alexie’s Work
The intersection between mainstream American and tribal culture
Alcoholism
Despair
Poverty
Racial anger
Magical realism
Dark humor
Historical figures and folklore
3 Questions:
What does it mean to live as an Indian at this time?
What does it mean to be an Indian man?
What does it mean to live on an Indian reservation?
Sarah Quirk in the Dictionary of
Library Biography
asserts that Sherman Alexie addresses three
questions throughout all of
his books.
Awards
American Book Award (1996) for Reservation Blues
National Book Award (2007) for Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
PEN/Faulkner (2010) for War Dances
Sources
Official website: http://www.fallsapart.com
The Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/sherman-alexie
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Alexie
PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2009/10/native_american_poet_sherman_a.html
YouTube Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwiQb8OQ6dY
