A Poet New to Me
A poem called The Farm, at Somena Mediahas introduced me to poet, fiction writer, essayist, and playwright, Sherman Alexie.
Sherman Alexie is a Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian, he grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, WA, about 50 miles northwest of Spokane, WA. Alexie was named one of Granta's Best of Young American Novelists and won the Before Columbus Foundation's American Book Award and the Murray Morgan Prize for his first novel, Reservation Blues, published in 1995 by Atlantic Monthly Press. His second novel, Indian Killer, published in 1996, also by Atlantic Monthly Press, was named one of People's Best of Pages and a New York Times Notable Book. This book was published in paperback by Warner Books in 1998.
...
Alexie's recent honors include the 2003 Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award, Washington State University's highest honor for alumni. His work was selected for inclusion in The Best American Short Stories 2004, edited by Lorrie Moore, and Pushcart Prize XXIX of the Small Presses. His short story "What You Pawn I Will Redeem" was selected by juror Ann Patchett as her favorite story for the The O. Henry Prize Stories 2005. He holds honorary degrees from Seattle University (doctor of humanities, honoris causa - 2000) and Columbia College, Chicago (1999).
posted by berlynn at 9:28 a.m.
2 Comments:
I actually saw Alexie in Riverside, CA about 4 years ago. One of the better scholastic nights of my life. He was talking about a post-9/11 world and race issues (of course). He was crossing the street in Seattle on 9/15/01, and a guy in a pickup truck yelled out the window of his muddy pickup "Go back to your own country!!!". Alexie said he was doubled over in laughter in the middle of the crosswalk or he would have shouted back "You First!!!". If you haven't read his other books, you should, they are sad and funny and profound and prosaic, and beautiful. Especially "Ten Little Indians."
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
<< Home