THAT’S an interesting choice that Floyd County’s One Book/Many Voices program made for only its second reading selection. “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie is not exactly standard fare, particularly for the adult portion of the community. It’s actually billed as being aimed at “young adults,” meaning teens.
The highly successful launch of this program last year featured “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, a pretty ambitious effort given the topics it raises for community discussion. “Part-Time Indian” is no less so, though its known appeal to younger generations may help spread this project into new realms. Last year’s debut got almost 1,000 Greater Romans involved.
The idea behind One Book/Many Voices, a national program in which many communities are now involved, is not only to encourage reading but also to trigger discussions of the issues and questions raised by the book.
IN THE CASE of Alexie’s semi-autobiographical novel, those are many. The School Library Journal, which recommends it for grades 7-10, describes it as the “chronicle of Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, Wash. The bright 14-year-old was born with water on the brain, is regularly the target of bullies, and loves to draw. He says, ‘I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.’
“He expects disaster when he transfers from the reservation school to the rich, white school in Reardan, but soon finds himself making friends with both geeky and popular students and starting on the basketball team. Meeting his old classmates on the court, Junior grapples with questions about what constitutes one’s community, identity and tribe. The daily struggles of reservation life and the tragic deaths of the protagonist’s grandmother, dog and older sister would be all but unbearable without the humor and resilience of spirit with which Junior faces the world. ...
“The teen’s determination to both improve himself and overcome poverty, despite the handicaps of birth, circumstances and race, delivers a positive message in a low-key manner.”
ACCORDING TO Susan Cooley, who chairs the One Book steering committee and is director of the Sara Hightower Regional Library system, the book “examines the challenges of growing up and fitting in, as well as problems of racism, poverty and substance abuse. We think it will engage both adult and adolescent readers.” And, she noted, it could encourage exploration and discussion of Floyd County’s considerable American Indian heritage.
While Alexie may not be a “household name” in the way that Angelou is, to say he’s “award winning” would be an understatement. So far he’s piled up 17 books (including poetry and short story collections) and also dabbles in comedy and music.
The author will be in Floyd County to give a public lecture and sign books at Pepperell High School. (Angelou’s lecture drew an audience of 4,000.)
Many other events are planned in connection with this effort, including a panel discussion, an all-day reading of the entire novel, a writing contest for high-school students and a showing of Alexie’s award-winning film, “Smoke Signals,” one of three for which he’s written the script. It was the first motion picture written, directed, acted and produced solely by Native Americans.
THOSE WHO participated in One Book/Many Voices last year will have no problem in joining this second year’s effort as they know the enjoyment and mind expansion provided.
Those who haven’t yet taken part should consider it this year — summer’s always a good time to read a book at one’s own pace anyway.
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