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A review by mrcschmidt68
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
5.0
I've always been a fan of Alexie's writing and this book only reinforces that feeling.
Favorite quotes/passages:
"There are things you should learn. Your past is a skeleton walking one step behind you, and your future is a skeleton walking one step in front of you. Maybe you don't wear a watch, but your skeletons do, and they always know what time it is. Now, these skeletons are made of memories, dreams, and voices. And they can trap you in-between, between touching and becoming. But they are not necessarily evil, unless you let them be.
"What you have to do is keep moving, keep walking, in step with your skeletons. They aren't ever going to leave you, so you don't have to worry about that. Your past ain't ever going to fall behind, and your future won't get too far ahead. Sometimes, though, your skeletons will talk to you, tell you to sit down and take a rest, breathe a little. Maybe they'll make you promises, tell you all the things you want to hear.
"Sometimes your skeletons will dress up as beautiful Indian women and ask you to slow dance. Sometimes your skeletons will dress up as your best friend and offer you a drink, one more for the road. Sometimes your skeletons will look exactly like your parents and offer you gifts.
"But no matter what they do, keep walking, keep moving. And don't wear a watch. Hell, Indians never need a wear a watch because your skeletons will always remind you about the time. See, it is always now. That's what Indian time is. The past, the future, all of it is wrapped up in the now. That's how it is. We are trapped in the now" (pages 21-22)
Humorous passage: the start of The Fun House and the mouse running up the aunt's leg.
"And finally this, when the sun was falling down so beautiful we didn't have time to give it a name, she held the child born of white mother and red father and said, 'Both sides of this child are beautiful.'" (page 148)
The story "Indian Education" would be a great short story to introduce Alexie's book "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian"
Favorite quotes/passages:
"There are things you should learn. Your past is a skeleton walking one step behind you, and your future is a skeleton walking one step in front of you. Maybe you don't wear a watch, but your skeletons do, and they always know what time it is. Now, these skeletons are made of memories, dreams, and voices. And they can trap you in-between, between touching and becoming. But they are not necessarily evil, unless you let them be.
"What you have to do is keep moving, keep walking, in step with your skeletons. They aren't ever going to leave you, so you don't have to worry about that. Your past ain't ever going to fall behind, and your future won't get too far ahead. Sometimes, though, your skeletons will talk to you, tell you to sit down and take a rest, breathe a little. Maybe they'll make you promises, tell you all the things you want to hear.
"Sometimes your skeletons will dress up as beautiful Indian women and ask you to slow dance. Sometimes your skeletons will dress up as your best friend and offer you a drink, one more for the road. Sometimes your skeletons will look exactly like your parents and offer you gifts.
"But no matter what they do, keep walking, keep moving. And don't wear a watch. Hell, Indians never need a wear a watch because your skeletons will always remind you about the time. See, it is always now. That's what Indian time is. The past, the future, all of it is wrapped up in the now. That's how it is. We are trapped in the now" (pages 21-22)
Humorous passage: the start of The Fun House and the mouse running up the aunt's leg.
"And finally this, when the sun was falling down so beautiful we didn't have time to give it a name, she held the child born of white mother and red father and said, 'Both sides of this child are beautiful.'" (page 148)
The story "Indian Education" would be a great short story to introduce Alexie's book "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian"