Rating: ***** 5 stars

Sherman Alexie ,
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
Andersen.

Ages 14+

Arnold is the weirdest, lowest Indian on the reservation totem. He has both physical and emotional handicaps and then makes himself a trator to the tribe by opting to attend an all white school, for he realises he alone has the power and ambition to make a future for himself that exceeds everyone's acquired lower than low expectations. He knows he is one bright 14-year-old despite his seizures and water on the brain.

This novel has already won awards in the US and it is one of the best books I've reviewed for a long time. I read it in one sitting. It is profound and an inspiration to read. It covers themes that few books handle with comparable wit and honesty. Here we have, amongst others, themes of racism, homophobia, bullying, alcohol abuse, bulimia, tribal pride, family breakdown and teen isolation. No matter that it is about North American Indians and their place in white America, it has volumes to say to teenagers everywhere on the planet. I'll be shoving my copy around all known readers.

David Bennett
May 2008 , No. 170

Guide to the rating system:
***** 5 stars, unmissable
**** 4 stars, very good
*** 3 stars, good
** 2 stars, fair
* 1 star, poor