Sherman Alexie, a Spokane / Coeur d’Alene Indian, grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. In addition to his three novels, Reservation Blues (1995), Indian Killer (1996), and this year’s Flight (2007), he has written eleven volumes of poetry, three collections of short stories, three screenplays, and many essays. This year also marks the publication of his first book for young adults, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, as well as Trash, his eleventh book of poetry. The New York Times calls Flight “a narrative stripped to its core, all rage and heart.” From his very first volume of verse, The Business of Fancydancing (1992), Alexie was hailed by a Times reviewer as “one of the major lyric voices of our time.” Smoke Signals, a film developed from one of his short stories, won both the Audience Award and the Filmmaker’s Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. He has received many honors and awards, and he won the World Heavyweight Poetry Bout competition for four consecutive years. His exceptional humor and deft performance style have served him in stand-up comedy as well as in lectures and readings.
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