Unabridged Audiobook
You haven't read this book until you hear Sherman narrate it himself. His emotions drip from each word and induce crying and laughter, often at once. Through his concrete and descriptive words, he helps to provide more of a tangible experience for the reader. You are there with him as he hides in his room from predators at a party, moves to a scary new school, has brain surgery and of course develops a complex relationship with his mother and his family. If you want to know what it's often like to grow up on a poverty stricken American Indian reservation, read this. If you want a visceral description of structural violence, read this. Every American should read this memoir.
This is one of those books you have to listen to on tape. With Sherman Alexis narrating, we're taken into the tragedy, the humor, and the perplexities of his life, more than words could portray. He laughs as he recalls old family stories, cries while talking about challenging moments, and even breaks into song during his intermittent poems. A lovely read and one I would highly recommend.
Thank you, Sherman, for penning your book about your relationship with your mother. You hit the nail on the head with many details about your childhood and how you felt at various times in your relationships with your family and other Tribal members. Thank you.
Brutal and heavy and uneven in parts. By the end, you'll feel as though you've survived something, too.
After enjoying his short stories, I was very disappointed in this memoir. I realize it came out of his guts, literally, but most of the more honest revelations left me disgusted rather than enlightened. That it was cathartic for him I have no doubt, but as a reader I found it unnecessary. Perhaps he can now move on and I can go back to more of his earlier work.
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