PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
War Dances
A collection of stories and poems that mixes humor and pain to portray Native American life, family, and cultural identity.
Work Information
A collection of stories and poems that mixes humor and pain to portray Native American life, family, and cultural identity.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Grove Press
- Published
- 2009-10-06
- Pages
- 256 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 13.97 x 1.91 x 22.23 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780802119193
- ISBN-10
- 0802119190
- Price
- 1360 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Literature & Fiction/Short Stories/Single Author
Fresh off his National Book Award win, Alexie delivers a heartbreaking, hilarious collection of stories that explores the precarious balance between self-preservation and external responsibility in art, family, and the world at large. With unparalleled insight into the minds of artists, laborers, fathers, husbands, and sons, Alexie populates his stories with ordinary men on the brink of exceptional change. In a bicoastal journey through the consequences of both simple and monumental life choices, Alexie introduces us to personal worlds as they transform beyond return. In the title story, a famous writer must decide how to care for his distant father who is slowly dying a natural Indian death” from alcohol and diabetes, just as he learns that he himself may have a brain tumor. Alexie dissects a vintage-clothing store owner’s failing marriage and his courtship of a married photographer in various airports across the country; what happens when a politician’s son commits a hate crime; and how a young boy discovers his self-worth while writing obituaries for his local newspaper. Brazen and wise, War Dances takes us to the heart of what it means to be human. This provocative new work is Alexie at the height of his powers.
Reviews
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A great read!
I enjoyed every story! Each one held my complete attention. There is every emotion imaginable portrayed skillfully without ever becoming maudlin or over dramatic. There is plenty of humor as well. I have recommended Alexi's writings to many of my friends.
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One read
I love the works of Sherman Alexie. I know I will want to go back and read this book again. I am sure the poems will offer more on additional readings. The stories are funny and sad, but always insightful. Anger and pathos, pain and pleasure, love and hate are the stuff life and his characters are made of. His stories are more character driven than plot driven, so if you like stories about people, you will enjoy the work of Sherman Alexie.
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Contains Some Outstanding Stories
I have been pleasantly surprised with War Dances. I have read a few other books from Sherman Alexie, and this one is not one of his most popular. I can see why. This is a mix of poetry and prose. I do like his stories better than his poetry, but the poems in this collection are still enjoyable and thought provoking. Overall, I am glad I read this (granted, I did get it on sale). But it is hit or miss. You might connect with some stories and not others. For me, there were some stories that were forgettable. On the other hand, there were a few that were so outstanding and memorable I would put them among some of the most impressive short stories I have read.
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It's Alexie--what more can one say???
I love Sherman Alexie--I haven't read anything of his I didn't like. That being said, his latest is pure Alexie, humorous, ironic, and always thought-provoking. I teach Literature at the college level and Alexie is a staple of my gen ed courses and multi-cultural lit courses. Not only do students love him and find him very accessible, his writing gives students an accurate while at the same time an entertaining portrayal of what it means to be American Indian in the U.S. Like his work or not, they never tell me he is "boring."
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TOO DEPRESSING.
“After our earliest ancestors crawled out of the oceans, how soon did they feel the desire to crawl back in?” (l. 1718) Sherman Alexie is an extremely gifted storyteller with a penchant for hopelessness. His collection of well written stories and poems, War Dances, despite moments of wry and sardonic humor, offers the reader mostly futility, wrought with existential angst. “Does a holy song lose its power if its singer is untalented?” (l. 452) Recommendation: Of course you should read anything by Sherman Alexie, he’s riveting. Just be prepared to be very depressed before your through. “If God really loved Indians, he would have made us white people.” (l. 732) Kindle edition, 256 pages (2,400 locations)