Comments on: Book Chat: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

By: Another Graphic Sex Book Assigned to 14 Y.O. Public School Students - Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Third Parties, Left-Wing, Right-Wing, Congress, President - Page 12 - City-Data Forum

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:26:34 +0000

[...] I haven't read the book. I was curious and found a quote from it that some find objectionable. The quote deals with masturbation. Book Chat: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie | The Book Lady's … [...]

By: Barrie13

Barrie13 — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:33:33 +0000

I think this book should not be banned. The book conveys important topics that teenagers need to know about. Although some of things talked about in the book are a bit scandalous and forward they should be talked about more often. If people don’t know the consequences and realities of some of things that go on the book and real world there won’t be anything stopping them from doing it.

By: BOB

BOB — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:44:15 +0000

I disagree with the ban because one small occasion and mention about an “inappropriate” topic shouldn’t ban the whole book. This just gives less kids the opportunity of experiencing this great, eye-opening and humorous story. Also, People may not notice that the content they believe to be inappropriate for teens may actually not be that inappropriate since nowadays teens mature faster. Many adults don’t realize this like the father in this scenario, about his 14 year old son knowing about masturbation

By: mgirl53

mgirl53 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:40:51 +0000

By: allig8er214

allig8er214 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:19:37 +0000

I agree with 10th grader. This book raises awareness to important issues such as bullying and racism. It would be a shame to ban this book because many kids who would relate to it would never read it. Important discussions happen in classroom settings and i think it would deepen understanding of the book. Although the book has very adult subject matter, it is written in a simple way intended for young adult readers.
allig8er214´s last [type] ..The Sunday Salon:12.18.11

By: 10th grader

10th grader — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:24:54 +0000

I really liked reading this blog. I think everything you said was true. I strongly believe that the part about masturbation does not take away from the book. Although it is understandable that some may think this is inappropriate, I disagree. It is part of life, and like you said, it is not like the kid had never heard of it before. It definitely should not be banned. It has so much useful information for teens, and adults. Readers can take away so much from this book. They learn about racism, and how it feels to be Indian in the situation Junior is in. Therefore, I think it would be silly to ban this book for one small chapter. Junior goes through a lot during the span of the book and I think any teenager could learn a lot from experiences.

By: Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:05:38 +0000

Personally, I disagree with the ban. If given to the appropriate age group, the book proves itself as an informative insight into the life of a Native American (from a text that is NOT a history textbook.) It’s thought out and poignant narrative is truly amazing. I would recommend the book to anyone looking for a good read. To ban this book from schools is a serious disadvantage to the student’s understanding of the world.

By: Junior

Junior — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:22:51 +0000

I agree, Alexie definitely chose some topics that would startle a sensitive parent or even student. However, he didn’t just throw them in, Alexie knew what he was doing, and he knew that we would get criticized for it. It can be hard for writers to publish something that they know will get abused, but Alexie took that risk; for that he should be applauded.

By: 10thGradeEnglish

10thGradeEnglish — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:05:34 +0000

I agree that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian should not be band. I found it informative, funny, and enjoyable. As a teenager reading this book, I find it hard to understand why school would be banding this book. Teenagers use all the language that is viewed as inappropriate in this book. Also, nothing mentioned in this book was new to me. I do think that it is important to speak with your class about the controversial parts of the book because I can see how that could be confusing to others. In conclusion, I think that this book should not be band because it is an extraordinary read and brings up important issues.

By: #50 10th Grader

#50 10th Grader — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:45:44 +0000

I really enjoyed reading through this book. It was a simple book that contained so many themes with a bit of deeper digging. I really liked the protagonist, Junior because he was such an honest and realistic character who was easy to relate to. Some schools even banned this book because of the content inside. A lot of people are not used to this kind of language and would not want their teenagers reading this. I do not agree with that at all. i think banning books is outrageous because it is a violation of the first amendment. Teenagers who are maturing rapidly need to read about the reality of life and what really happened. By hiding from these details, they will never get the truth. I think the truth is essential and that is why I give my utmost respect to Sherman Alexie. He deserves the praise he has gotten without a doubt.