At the Traphill Branch Library, our book club recently read Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in honor of the author’s birthday. Alexie’s award-winning novel has been challenged and frequently appears on the Top Ten Banned Books list since 2010. The objections most often cite its references to drugs, alcohol, smoking, and sexual content. One challenger stated, “This book is, shockingly, written by a Native American who reinforces all the negative stereotypes of his people. He presents these ideas from the crude, obscene, and unfiltered perspective of a ninth grader growing up on the reservation."
Born October 7, 1966, on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State, Sherman Alexie infuses his writing with the wit, honesty, and complexity of his own experiences. Told through the eyes and doodles of fourteen-year-old Arnold Spirit Jr.—known as Junior—the novel blends diary entries with Ellen Forney’s cartoon illustrations to create an intimate portrait of a boy determined to rise above the limitations of his circumstances.
Junior lives on the Spokane Reservation, where poverty, alcoholism, and loss shape daily life. When he realizes his school still uses the same outdated textbooks his mother once used, he makes the bold decision to attend an all-white school in the nearby town of Reardan. That choice, seen by some on the reservation as a betrayal, sets him on a journey of painful self-discovery. At Reardan, Junior faces racism, loneliness, and identity conflict, but he also finds friendship, encouragement, and the freedom to dream beyond what he thought possible.
Alexie’s storytelling stands out for its balance of humor and heartbreak. He tackles serious issues—grief, injustice, belonging—with honesty and warmth. Junior’s voice is sharp, funny, and deeply human, showing both the pain and the strength of life on the margins. The cartoons scattered throughout the book act as a lifeline, expressing his emotions with humor and immediacy.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian invites readers to think about privilege, courage, and what it means to belong. While rooted in Native experience, its themes are universal: the longing to fit in, the bravery to stand apart, and the power of education and self-expression to change a life.
During our book club discussion, readers found themselves relating to Junior’s coming-of-age struggles and reflecting on their own growing-up years. Although his world is far from ours in many ways, the feelings of fear, hope, and determination are universal. His story affirms the strength of the human spirit and the belief that, even when circumstances seem fixed, change begins with one brave choice.
Books like Alexie’s remind us why the freedom to read matters. They challenge us, make us uncomfortable at times, and open our minds to truths we might not otherwise see. That’s precisely what great literature should do.
Funny, raw, and deeply human, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian shows that strength can come from both laughter and pain—and that identity is something we build, one courageous choice at a time.