When the piece was over, Sherman Alexie was no longer a Native American writer's name I had been familiar with. This piece, featuring one live appearance by the esteemed author, in Iowa, is enough to reveal and revel in the brilliance of a writer who happens to be Native American.
Alexie reads one story, Lawyer's League, from his 'Ten Little Indians,' a book he describes as a collection of stories about 'white collar Indians.' Most authors don't read their own material well, but, as evident here, no other can read Alexie better than Alexie. He writes the way he thinks and talks; a mile a second, an observation a minute, like a long distance runner who's also a great sprinter. Lawyer's League is so well presented in the piece that you could mistake it for a well executed improv where everything comes out exactly as un-planned and as easily as the next moment. Now, that's great writing.
The length of the piece may be of concern to listeners, but there's not a moment that drags. It goes by like 'that'. Yes...'that'. If you've never been to something that is a seminar, reading, and stand-up combined, this is it.
Review of Author Sherman Alexie
Emon Hassan
Posted on March 28, 2006 at 09:08 AM
When the piece was over, Sherman Alexie was no longer a Native American writer's name I had been familiar with. This piece, featuring one live appearance by the esteemed author, in Iowa, is enough to reveal and revel in the brilliance of a writer who happens to be Native American.
Alexie reads one story, Lawyer's League, from his 'Ten Little Indians,' a book he describes as a collection of stories about 'white collar Indians.' Most authors don't read their own material well, but, as evident here, no other can read Alexie better than Alexie. He writes the way he thinks and talks; a mile a second, an observation a minute, like a long distance runner who's also a great sprinter. Lawyer's League is so well presented in the piece that you could mistake it for a well executed improv where everything comes out exactly as un-planned and as easily as the next moment. Now, that's great writing.
The length of the piece may be of concern to listeners, but there's not a moment that drags. It goes by like 'that'. Yes...'that'. If you've never been to something that is a seminar, reading, and stand-up combined, this is it.