10 March 2010

and right now...


"And right now in this country, magazines, newspapers, and bookstores are drowning polar bears. And if people can't see that or don't want to talk about it, I don't understand them at all." 

-sherman alexie in an interview with mother jones 

today i had the pleasure of hearing sherman alexie speak. ever since i saw his segment on the colbert report where he disparaged the disconnect between those who want to eat local but don't think about shopping locally, or the "local value of a book," i've been tracking his work and reading through a lot of his books.

sherman alexie is one of the few authors who has made the choice to not allow his books to be published in digital format. i realize most authors don't even get a choice on this matter and that makes sherman's choice all the more powerful. he is an author with a long career and many many awards, he uses his clout and sway and he chooses to defend the importance of books and therefore all the jobs and infrastructure that surround them. thank you, sherman.

beyond being publicly bold and brave, he is also an amazing thinker and storyteller who, in his fiction, embraces contradictions, is unafraid to talk about real hard issues, is unafraid to to be honest. i just finished his new book, war dances and his national book award winning the absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. next is another short story collection of his, ten little indians. a list of all his publications is here, as well as more about who sherman alexie is.

6 comments:

  1. I love that quote! I've never heard about him before but I'll definitely check his books out now.

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  2. Thanks for pointing me in the direction of that interview... Alexie is one of my favorite authors, and as a Native American Studies major, I get to read lots of him! Yay!

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  3. I'm confused about the quote though - is he connecting wasting paper with drowning polar bears? If so, why is he against books in digital format?

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  4. I love Sherman Alexie! Lucky you, getting to hear him speak!

    And there is just something so wonderful about a book in my hands. I will always read them in book form.

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  5. Me too, never heard of him but have just ordered his Young Adult novel as per your recommendation. Thanks.

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  6. i LOVE sherman alexie. he spoke in mn a few years back about the absolutely true diary, and flight. and not only is he incredibly smart and inspiring, he is also insanely hilarious! off to read the mother jones article.

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