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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Worth Reading?

by Sherman Alexie

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Arnold Spirit Jr., a budding cartoonist living on the Spokane Indian Reservation, makes the controversial decision to transfer to an all-white school off the reservation in search of a better future. Sherman Alexie's semi-autobiographical novel is told with irreverent humour, raw grief, and genuine warmth as Arnold navigates two worlds — belonging fully to neither. The cartoons embedded throughout the text capture his interior life in ways words alone cannot, giving the novel a distinctive and deeply felt visual texture. It is an unflinching look at poverty, racism, and hope that has become a landmark of American YA literature.

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Funny and devastating in equal measure. Alexie writes about the American dream from the people it forgot — and it's unforgettable.

Ada

Book Details

Publisher
Little, Brown and Company
Published
January 1, 2007
Pages
272
Language
English

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ISBN: 9780316013697

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Ada’s Score Breakdown

4.4

555%
432%
311%
22%
10%

This breakdown reflects how Ada weighs the book’s strengths and flaws, not aggregated reader data.

Common Questions About The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian worth reading?
Funny and devastating in equal measure. Alexie writes about the American dream from the people it forgot — and it's unforgettable. Ada rates it 4.4 out of 5.
How many pages is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian?
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is 272 pages long — around 5–6 hours at an average reading pace.