This month’s choice for my local library’s book club pick is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I have seen the movie Smoke Signals, but didn’t know it was written by Alexie, and I haven’t read anything else by him. I was in for quite a wonderful surprise with this novel.

Based on Alexie’s own life story as a teen growing up on a reservation in Wellpinit, Washington and going to an all white school 20 miles away in Reardon, this is an often hilarious, often tragically sad novel. It is filled with wonderful drawings by Ellen Forney that help bring the character of Arnold Spirit alive. It’s impossible not to root for him, against all odds.

Alexie’s writing is so fresh and so original, I was drawn in from the very first page. I absolutely loved this book.