Noted author and poet, Sherman Alexie will be at Cap on September 12, 2007. Most of you are familiar with his short story, "This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" and his screenplay and movie, Smoke Signals. He will be reading from his brand-new YA novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Click on the links to read his biography and to learn more about this bittersweet semi-autobiographical piece from Alexie.
After reading the links, post your comments to the following question: What facts about Sherman Alexie's life do you find the most interesting?
Cap's You Say Read? We Say Party! Bookclub will be taking preorders for this book and others by Alexie (which he will be signing and personalizing for you that day). To make it even more worthwhile for you to purchase a book, Mrs. Henry will be offering bonus points when you choose an Alexie novel or poetry book as your outside reading choice during the fall semester. Check with your English teacher to see if they will be doing the same.
44 comments:
I am shocked that he was reading by age 3.
I think that its amazing how much Sherman Alexie accomplished even though he was born with water in his brain and showed no signs of damage afterward.
I am surprise that he can read when a novel when he is three. I think he is a genuis. I cannot read since I was six.
I love his books and I'm really amazed at how he is able to survive with water in his brain
WOW ITS VERY OUTSTOUNDING THAT HE CAME FROM GETTING DIAGONOSED WITH HYDROCEPHALIC TO A NORMAL KID READING AT THE AGE OF 3 AND BECOMING AN AUTHOR. THIS GOES TO SHOW THAT YOU CAN GET THROUGH AND FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS NO MATTER WHAT.
I think it was amazing that he was able to overcome the odds of death and to prove everyone wrong that he would not have mental retardation and to come out a great author and poet is a very astounding accomplishment
Finding out that he was born with hydrocephalic was shocking to know, especially to know that he has survived through that.I was just as shocked as the others to find out he was reading whole novels by age 3.It does seem like Sherman Alexie was born to write and be a successful author.
New Question to consider: What happened in Alexie's life that can be found in the short story we just read in class?
he did live on a reservation and was the only indian in his school except the mascot and was the star of the basketball team
I loved hearing how he overcame being an alcoholic, because I know from family experience that it's extremely hard to deal with. It's not something that's easy to get out of, and he did it to pursue his career. On top of that, he had dealt with a lot of issues as a child, and he proved to everyone that with a little hope.. you can anything you set your mind to.
douglassA Henry 2period
I am impressed by how Sherman became a writer. He used to suffer from water in brain and be the laughingstock of other people. I think he really came across with many kinds of difficulties and put effort in order to become what he is now.
Yeah it's real cool that he has accomplished so much so far. Aswell as all the challenges that he had to overcome as a child.
What I thought was interesting was that Sherman Alexie was not only a writer but he also taught an American Ethnic Studies class at the University of Washington.
it's interesting how he picked up the habit of drinking in college and then dropped the habit right away as soon as he found out one of his books was getting published. not that many people could just stop drinking like that. i'm sure it was very hard for him.
well the way his life was with water in his brain and of him thinkin of writing a story like that make him a very special author
rantisidhenry2 said...
I am amazed how Sherman Alexie got through all those difficult times when he was a child and now a strong man who is successful in his life.
Alexie used to drink but now has stopped, this is what happened in his life that i have read in hte short story.
To me it is amazing how he was able to overcome his brain problem. I couldn't read at age 3 so that is pretty impressive that he could. After what has happened to him, he has overcome every obsticle and that is a huge accomplishment.
I thought it was pretty amazing how people thought that he was gonna suffer Severe Mental Retardation and turned oue reading by the age of three!!! that realy surprized me, beacuse most of us dont leard to read till were four in Kindergarten.
Once again, please note that the question has changed. I now want you to tell me how the story we read connects to Alexie's life.
In Alexie's life he transfered to and all white school. In the story we read in class he was in an all white basketball team.
I think it's amazing how he overcame alcoholism & water in his brain. Now you can see how his life influenced his writing & you can see how he uses Victor as a secret identity to tell readers about his battles.
The story we read in class today, not only had Alexie's childhood memories in the short story, but he also included some of his feelings into the characters.
First I was suprised that he read by the age of three.After his childhood struggle he was alcoholic but later on became sober. Another thing that suprised was beside being an author he also does comedy. With this i can belive anyone can do anything.
I can't believe that a baby that was born with water in his brain an was supposed to be retarded can be able to read at the age of three.It's amazing!
He was the star basketball player in school and he was also the only Indaian on the team. Like in the story.
It must of been hard being the only Indian going to his school, overcoming his diagnoses, and facing the problems of alcohol. These challenges are shown in the short story we read in class. He plays Victor as himself to show what he went through in high school. One of the books that I looked into was Indian Killer. It seems interesting and mysterious.
The story we read by Sherman Alexie today in class relates to his biography because it both talked about his problems with alcohol and it showed about how he went to a different school out of the reservation
The story connects too Alexie's life because he lived on a reservation and he played collage basketball for two years before becoming a drunk.
i liked how he was a cartoonist for books because i also draw.i like how he overacame all the racist comments and brain damage that he had and became an awsome writer, thats wat i call following your dream.
Sherman is only 41 and he has had quite a life. i was surprised that he wasn't writing his whole life and that he originally wanted to be a doctor. he suffers a little bit form the surgery. the biography said that he faints sometimes. Sherman really understands that life is about your abilities, not your disabilities and he has done a lot with his life. I have gained a newfound respect for him.
Everything about Sherman Alexie is so fantastic. This gut is very talented. He was born with water on the brain, so that's one strike. But he just prove that anyone one can successed if they put their mind to it. This guy was reading by the age of three. Imean, very few people can do that. And he was so god starting off in a new school being able to get along with everyone. His an very inspiring person, just reading a brief summary of his book shows how much of an genius he is. His a great author. And it seems to me that growing up was very hard, but it all turns out good in the in. this is behanca foster
i think it's amazing that Sherman Alexie became such a famous author. Especially because he was born with water on the brain and he wasnt even supposed to live. I think it's cool that he was reading books by the time he was 3 and reading adult novels by age 5.
Reading a novel at the age of three?! Wow. That's awesome.
What happened in his real life is basically how the story is put together. They both played basketball at and all white high school and are the star players although he leaves out Victor going to play at college because he probably wanted to prove a point about people that live on the reservation. Victor starts off drinking like Alexie did but then becomes sober also.
I've googled more about him and i was surprised everything he have been through, but that didnt keep him away from reaching his goals...hes for sure an inspiration for many people
I am surprise that he accomplished so much when he was suppose to be retarded.
The story connects to Sherman Alexie's because he lived on a reservation.He was a basketball star and a drunk but quit after awhile.
I thought that it was azaming that Alexie was able to read by age 3 and how he was born with water in his brain and survied.Also how he played basketball and was friends with the "nerds" and the "popular" kids.
alexie lived on a reservation and left it to see if he can get a better life..but then he had become an alcoholic but gave up drinking which is good..
i was amazed on how many things Alexie did in his whole life. He won so many awards,made a song, and also made a screenplay. Even tho he has a mental problem he fought and accomplished so many things.
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He avoid all the problems he got for being a indian and he worked hard to get a better future, and now he is using his talent to share that to us
I think that he is speacial because he was able to read when he was very young even though he faced problems, he got through them because he wanted to accomplish his goals.
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