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As advertised -- and here's what that means: This IS the "people's history". First, we get glimpses into the lives of the native peoples of our continent before Europeans arrived. That means that the impact of the arrival of the Europeans is twice as meaningful than the Euro-centric half-stories we all know. We have a look at the lives of the Africans before Europeans kidnapped them and forced them into a life -- also illustrated here as never before -- of what we now know is unspeakable suffering. And on, through the immigrants (which we mostly are, after all) and the wars and the struggles and the politics and policies that have brought us to today. Not to worry -- you probably won't hate your country when you're finished reading. Rather, you will have a deeper respect for every American (and aspiring American) and arrive at a far broader understanding of how each of us came to be a part of one United States of America. It's all about point of view, and this assortment of POVs is vastly unique among history surveys.
Also eminently readable.
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(9 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
I have yet to read an Alexie book or short story that doesn't make me squirm, and "Indian Killer" is no exception.
Nor does it fall into the "exception" column in its fearless excellence.
Alexie writes mainly about North American Indians, and mainly about characters who are Spokane. But it would be wrong to simply dub him an "Indian author," because the mirror he holds up is for all of us. There are no saints among the white or the red. The occasional kind heart, the sympathetic character (whose sympathies surprise more often than not), but no saints.
"Indian Killer" might be shelved as a murder mystery. But there's more mystery in what goes on in the hearts and minds of the community, and the actions those mysteries spawn, than in "whodunit."
We shake our heads at the ignorant, the arrogant, and the just-plain-mean, while simultaneously recognizing ourselves in them.
In this way, "Indian Killer" -- and all Alexie fiction -- is instructive.
It is also tremendously rewarding.
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(13 of 18 readers found this comment helpful)
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dwrites has commented on (2) products.
A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present (P.S.) by Howard Zinn
dwrites, August 27, 2008
As advertised -- and here's what that means: This IS the "people's history". First, we get glimpses into the lives of the native peoples of our continent before Europeans arrived. That means that the impact of the arrival of the Europeans is twice as meaningful than the Euro-centric half-stories we all know. We have a look at the lives of the Africans before Europeans kidnapped them and forced them into a life -- also illustrated here as never before -- of what we now know is unspeakable suffering. And on, through the immigrants (which we mostly are, after all) and the wars and the struggles and the politics and policies that have brought us to today. Not to worry -- you probably won't hate your country when you're finished reading. Rather, you will have a deeper respect for every American (and aspiring American) and arrive at a far broader understanding of how each of us came to be a part of one United States of America. It's all about point of view, and this assortment of POVs is vastly unique among history surveys.Also eminently readable.
(9 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie
dwrites, February 27, 2008
I have yet to read an Alexie book or short story that doesn't make me squirm, and "Indian Killer" is no exception.Nor does it fall into the "exception" column in its fearless excellence.
Alexie writes mainly about North American Indians, and mainly about characters who are Spokane. But it would be wrong to simply dub him an "Indian author," because the mirror he holds up is for all of us. There are no saints among the white or the red. The occasional kind heart, the sympathetic character (whose sympathies surprise more often than not), but no saints.
"Indian Killer" might be shelved as a murder mystery. But there's more mystery in what goes on in the hearts and minds of the community, and the actions those mysteries spawn, than in "whodunit."
We shake our heads at the ignorant, the arrogant, and the just-plain-mean, while simultaneously recognizing ourselves in them.
In this way, "Indian Killer" -- and all Alexie fiction -- is instructive.
It is also tremendously rewarding.
(13 of 18 readers found this comment helpful)