Next stop on the tour is Washington with Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Arnold Spirit or Junior as he is called by his family is a Spokane Indian living on the reservation. He started out with a rough lot health-wise, being born with hydrocephalus (water baby), seizures, bad eyesight, and some teeth issues. His family, like many families on the rez, is dirt poor.
When Junior starts high school at the rez school, and sees that they are still using the same book that his mother used, he gets understandably mad. After throwing the book and hitting his teacher, he is suspended and his teacher comes to have a talk to him in which he tells him, he deserves better than the rez education can provide. At this point, Junior decides to get the most out of his education, he needs to transfer to the "white" school off the rez.
Junior's decision prompts many of the Indians on the reservation to consider him a trader. Believing that he trying to become white. Junior makes his way through the rough waters of being the new and different kid at school and having your people dislike you, and all the while he is really learning to experience life.
This book is an inspiration to everyone because it is truly about making the best out of life. If anyone has reasons to be angry with the world, it is Junior. He has had horrible health issue, his family is super poor, his dad is a drunk, and many of his loved ones died in unfortunate incidents. Junior is, in fact, quite the opposite of angry. He finds good in many things, and tries to be a better person in general. He works hard at everything he does from school to his drawings. I think that if more people would even attempt to be more like Junior this world would be a better place.
Currently Reading:
Unearthly
by Cynthia Hand
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