“I think most Native American literature is unreadable by the vast majority of Native Americans. Generally speaking Indians don't read books. It's not a book culture. That's why I'm trying to make movies. Indians go to movies; Indians own video recorders.” ThinkingTryingBookCultureLiteratureMajorityVideoNativeNative AmericanAmerican LiteratureRecorders Author:Sherman Alexie
“I guess a witness is all I am. I think as a writer, you're pretty removed. Writing is a very selfish, individualistic pursuit. So in that sense I'm a witness because I'm not participating.” ThinkingWritingSelfishPursuitWitnessParticipatingIndividualisticYou Re Pretty Author:Sherman Alexie
“They've been screaming about the death of literacy for years, but I think TV is the Gutenberg [printing] press. I think TV is the only thing that keeps us vaguely in democracy even if it's in the hands of the corporate culture. If you're an artist you write in your time. Moaning about the fact that maybe people read more books a hundred years ago - that's not true. I think the same percentage has always read.” PeopleIfsThinkingWritingYearsBookFactsHandsArtistCultureDemocracyTvsHundredYears AgoPressesCorporateLiteracyPercentagesPrintingCorporate CulturePrinting PressMoaningGutenberg Author:Sherman Alexie
“I don't think the revisionist historians are accurate. I think their agendas are clouded by selfishness and anger and rage.” ThinkingRageSelfishnessAgendasHistorianAccurateClouded Author:Sherman Alexie
“I'll quit eating meat when you get a cow out here to beat me at a poetry slam. Only so many words rhyme with 'Mooo.' I mean, yes, we're supposed to be better stewards; yes, we're supposed to take care of the earth; yes, we're supposed to honor the sacrifices made by the animals; yes yes yes yes yes, but dammit, we're in charge, and you know why? It's because of these [holding out thumbs]...Maybe you think that carrots are less important than cows. I think they're equal, especially in a sauce.” ThinkingKnowsMeanMadeImportantCareEarthAnimalSacrificeHonorEqualEatingBeatsTake CareQuittingSupposed To BeMeatCowsRhymeThumbsSauceSlamCarrotsStewardsEating Meat Author:Sherman Alexie
“Also because I'm ambiguously ethnic looking, you know, I come to New York and I can be anything. People generally think I'm half of whatever they are.” PeopleThinkingKnowsI CanHalfNew York Author:Sherman Alexie
“I am extremely conscious of my tribalism. And when you talk about tribalism, you talk about living in a black and white world. I mean, Native American tribalism sovereignty, even the political fight for sovereignty and cultural sovereignty is a very us versus them. And I think a lot of people in this country, especially European Americans and those descended from Europeans don't see themselves as tribal.” PeopleThinkingWorldMeanCountryPoliticalFightingBlackWhiteConsciousNativeBlack And WhiteNative AmericanSovereigntyVersusTribalism Author:Sherman Alexie
“Facebook and Twitter and these other social sites bring every, I mean, 140 characters. I mean, I'm on Twitter and I have fun. But I don't think anybody learns anything about me as a person.” ThinkingMeanPersonsCharacterFunSocialHaving FunSite140 Character Author:Sherman Alexie
“My books for adults had been previously challenged and banned so I'd had experience with it. I always find it sad and amusing: Sad to think that such archaic and potentially dangerous censorious beliefs still exist, and amused because these censors only make a book more powerful and seductive when trying to ban it.” ThinkingTryingBookBeliefPowerfulDangerousAmusingSeductive Author:Sherman Alexie
“I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.” ThinkingWorldLittlesBrokenSeriesTinyFloodCartoonDamsLifeboats Author:Sherman Alexie
“I think all of us are always five years old in the presence and absence of our parents.” ThinkingYearsAgeParentFiveAbsenceFive YearsFive Year Olds Author:Sherman Alexie
“When anybody, no matter how old they are, loses a parent, I think it hurts the same as if you were only five years old, you know? I think all of us are always five years old in the presence and absence of our parents.” IfsThinkingKnowsYearsMatterParentLosesHurtFiveAbsenceFive YearsIt HurtsOld YouFive Year Olds Author:Sherman Alexie
“I remember when people used to think I was smart. I remember when people used to think my brain was useful. Damaged by water, sure. And ready to seizure at any moment. But still useful, and maybe even a little bit beautiful and sacred and magical.” PeopleThinkingLittlesStillsMomentsBeautifulRememberUsedBitsWaterBrainReadyLittle BitSmartSacredRemember WhenSeizures Author:Sherman Alexie
“"I used to think the world was broken down by tribes," I said. "By black and white. By Indian and white. But I know that isn't true. The world is only broken into two tribes: The people who are assholes and the people who are not."” PeopleThinkingKnowsWorldSaidTwoUsedBlackWhiteBrokenIndianInsightfulBlack And WhiteTribesBroken Down Author:Sherman Alexie
“...it's like this white-Indian thing has gotten out of control. And the thing with the blacks and the Mexicans. Everybody blaming everybody...I don't know what happened. I can't explain it all. Just look around at the world. Look at this country. Things just aren't like they used to be.' 'Son, things have never been like what you think they used to be.” ThinkingKnowsWorldLooksI CanCountryUsedWhiteHappenedSonBlameUsed To BeIndian Author:Sherman Alexie
“Everybody likes to have a place to think, to meditate, to eat a burrito.” ThinkingLikesShelterComfort ZoneAsylumsFunny FoodHappy PlaceBurritos Book:Reservation Blues: A Novel Source: Reservation Blues: A Novel
“Ialways think it's funny when Indians celebrate Thanksgiving. I mean, sure, the Indians and Pilgrims were best friends during the first Thanksgiving, but a few years later, the Pilgrims were shooting Indians. So I'm never quite sure why we eat Turkey like everybody else. (101)” ThinkingYearsFirstsMeanCelebrateIndianShootingTurkeysPilgrim Author:Sherman Alexie
“I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and social positions, and minorities. I think that the political power of, let's say, the average Indian man and a white woman are pretty equal.” ThinkingMenPoliticalStrongSocialWhitePositionEqualAverageIndianMinoritiesIdentificationPolitical Power Author:Sherman Alexie
“All I try to do is portray Indians as we are, in creative ways. With imagination and poetry. I think a lot of Native American literature is stuck in one idea: sort of spiritual, environmentalist Indians. And I want to portray everyday lives. I think by doing that, by portraying the ordinary lives of Indians, perhaps people learn something new.” PeopleThinkingWayWantTryingIdeasSpiritualLiteratureImaginationCreativeOrdinaryEverydayStuckIndianNativeSomething NewNative AmericanEveryday LifeOrdinary LifeAmerican IndianEnvironmentalistAmerican LiteraturePortrayingSpiritual Indian Author:Sherman Alexie
“At least half the country thinks the mascot issue is insignificant. But I think it's indicative of the ways in which Indians have no cultural power. We're still placed in the past. So we're either in the past or we're only viewed through casinos.” ThinkingKnowsWayStillsCountryPastWhiteHalfIssuesIndianInsignificantCasinosMascots Author:Sherman Alexie
“Certainly I'm angry at the way Indians have been treated and continue to be treated. But I don't think it's a helpless emotion.” ThinkingWayHas BeensEmotionAngryTreatedHelpless Author:Sherman Alexie
“I think a lot of Indians want Indian artists to be cultural cheerleaders rather than cultural investigators.” ThinkingWantArtistIndianCheerleaderInvestigators Author:Sherman Alexie
“The problem is that too many adults think their kids' lives are simple, or they try to make their lives simple, when their emotional lives are just as complicated as ours. They might have a few less tools to deal with it because they're young, but the emotions are all the same, and the subject matter is all the same.” ThinkingTryingMatterProblemMightKidsYoungSimpleDealsEmotionSubjectsEmotionalAdultsToolsComplicatedSimple LifeSubject MatterEmotional Life Author:Sherman Alexie
“There isn't a lot of poverty literature in the young-adult world. And I don't know why that is, but I think certainly I felt a gap.” ThinkingKnowsWorldYoungLiteratureFeltPovertyAdultsYoung AdultGaps Author:Sherman Alexie
“Well, I think the worst part about tribalism is its tendency to fundamentalize, and if I can fight fundamentalism in any of its forms I'm happy.” IfsThinkingWellsI CanFormFightingWorstTendenciesFundamentalismTribalism Author:Sherman Alexie
