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[CCBC-Net] Absolutely True Diary
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From: Giffard, Sue <SGiffard>
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:52:57 -0500
There is a wonderful piece on youtube with Sherman Alexie speaking, answering questions and reading from his book to a children's literature group (not sure which). In it he talks about the autobiographical nature of the book. It's worth watching if you loved the book; and I think it's worth watching if you didn't, because it puts the book in the context of the life of this extraordinary man, with all the pain that he has experienced and the humor and humanity that he brings to bear on it. Not too many writers can make you laugh and cry in the same moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwiQb8OQ6dY
Sue Giffard Ethical Culture School New York, NY 10023 sgiffard at ecfs.org
(212)712-6292
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" ? Albert Einstein.
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu on behalf of Deborah Hopkinson Sent: Fri 1/18/2008 8:41 PM To: Hendon, Alison; ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] Absolutely True Diary
I'd like to comment on Patricia's post about Absolutely True Diary, without, I hope, throwing stones.
As some of you may know, although I'm a children's author, I've always held a day job in philanthropy, and have just moved from many years in academic fundraising to an organization that provides mental health services to children. In collaboration with representatives of Oregon's nine tribes, this organization has just developed a new program for Native Americans youth. One therapy used in the program is trauma-informed care, based on a Center for Disease Control study which links childhood traumatic experiences to issues of mental health.
I mention this because recently on Sherman Alexie's website I read an interview about the autobiographical nature of Absolutely True Diary, in which he states that, in fact, there were a lot more deaths that impacted his childhood than he put in the book.
Sherman Alexie is one of our most prominet national voices, and no doubt this book will find its way into the hands of many teen readers. Still, I was dismayed and very disappointed at the exclusion of this authentic, powerful, bittersweet, and tremendously funny book from Printz and Notables.
Deborah Hopkinson
Senior Director of Philanthropy
ChristieCare Foundation
Portland, OR
www.deborahhopkinson.com
"Hendon, Alison" <A.Hendon at BrooklynPublicLibrary.org> wrote:
One of the thoughts that immediately popped into my head was that if no young adult should read this, how much more should no young adult live this. For me, YA goes from 13 to 18 - I definitely feel that some of the older readers would really "get" this.
Alison
Alison Hendon Youth Selection Team Leader Brooklyn Public Library a.hendon at brooklynpubliclibrary.org
>
> On 1/18/08 2:23 PM, "Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq."
> wrote:
>
> > Okay, time for an unpopular opinion...
> >
> > I finished reading ABSOLUTELY TRUE last week and I can not support
> > this book for the YA age group. I believe a lot of it is
> inappropriate for a YA book.
> > If the reader is old enough to read about having to shoot a dog
> > because there is no money and someone's sister being burned
> to death
> > because she was too drunk to get out, they should be reading adult
> > books, not YA. Where's the firestorm over the "n" word?
> Appropriate
> > in its' useage, but not a peep about it? And, I just can't see it
> > winning the American Indian Youth Award because it casts American
> > Indians in a horrible light. They're all drunk or have given up.
> > Sure there is some inspiration in the main character
> "breaking out",
> > but that is overshadowed by how the rest of the community
> is cast. In
> > fact, one of the women at work said her daughter (whose 11
> and a major
> > reader) asked her to get it for her. When I started
> telling her what was actually in the book, she was horrified
> that it would be listed as a YA.
> > She read some of the reviews of the book, which included
> plot points,
> > resulting in her refusing to let her daughter read it.
> >
> > I understand there are a lot of people on this list who
> enjoyed this
> > book, but I'm not one of them. It is well written and I can
> > appreciate it for that; however, in my opinion, it's not a YA book.
> >
> > Okay...don't throw too many stones at once! ;)
> >
> > Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq., CFE
> >
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Fri 18 Jan 2008 07:52:57 PM CST
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:52:57 -0500
There is a wonderful piece on youtube with Sherman Alexie speaking, answering questions and reading from his book to a children's literature group (not sure which). In it he talks about the autobiographical nature of the book. It's worth watching if you loved the book; and I think it's worth watching if you didn't, because it puts the book in the context of the life of this extraordinary man, with all the pain that he has experienced and the humor and humanity that he brings to bear on it. Not too many writers can make you laugh and cry in the same moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwiQb8OQ6dY
Sue Giffard Ethical Culture School New York, NY 10023 sgiffard at ecfs.org
(212)712-6292
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" ? Albert Einstein.
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu on behalf of Deborah Hopkinson Sent: Fri 1/18/2008 8:41 PM To: Hendon, Alison; ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] Absolutely True Diary
I'd like to comment on Patricia's post about Absolutely True Diary, without, I hope, throwing stones.
As some of you may know, although I'm a children's author, I've always held a day job in philanthropy, and have just moved from many years in academic fundraising to an organization that provides mental health services to children. In collaboration with representatives of Oregon's nine tribes, this organization has just developed a new program for Native Americans youth. One therapy used in the program is trauma-informed care, based on a Center for Disease Control study which links childhood traumatic experiences to issues of mental health.
I mention this because recently on Sherman Alexie's website I read an interview about the autobiographical nature of Absolutely True Diary, in which he states that, in fact, there were a lot more deaths that impacted his childhood than he put in the book.
Sherman Alexie is one of our most prominet national voices, and no doubt this book will find its way into the hands of many teen readers. Still, I was dismayed and very disappointed at the exclusion of this authentic, powerful, bittersweet, and tremendously funny book from Printz and Notables.
Deborah Hopkinson
Senior Director of Philanthropy
ChristieCare Foundation
Portland, OR
www.deborahhopkinson.com
"Hendon, Alison" <A.Hendon at BrooklynPublicLibrary.org> wrote:
One of the thoughts that immediately popped into my head was that if no young adult should read this, how much more should no young adult live this. For me, YA goes from 13 to 18 - I definitely feel that some of the older readers would really "get" this.
Alison
Alison Hendon Youth Selection Team Leader Brooklyn Public Library a.hendon at brooklynpubliclibrary.org
>
> On 1/18/08 2:23 PM, "Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq."
> wrote:
>
> > Okay, time for an unpopular opinion...
> >
> > I finished reading ABSOLUTELY TRUE last week and I can not support
> > this book for the YA age group. I believe a lot of it is
> inappropriate for a YA book.
> > If the reader is old enough to read about having to shoot a dog
> > because there is no money and someone's sister being burned
> to death
> > because she was too drunk to get out, they should be reading adult
> > books, not YA. Where's the firestorm over the "n" word?
> Appropriate
> > in its' useage, but not a peep about it? And, I just can't see it
> > winning the American Indian Youth Award because it casts American
> > Indians in a horrible light. They're all drunk or have given up.
> > Sure there is some inspiration in the main character
> "breaking out",
> > but that is overshadowed by how the rest of the community
> is cast. In
> > fact, one of the women at work said her daughter (whose 11
> and a major
> > reader) asked her to get it for her. When I started
> telling her what was actually in the book, she was horrified
> that it would be listed as a YA.
> > She read some of the reviews of the book, which included
> plot points,
> > resulting in her refusing to let her daughter read it.
> >
> > I understand there are a lot of people on this list who
> enjoyed this
> > book, but I'm not one of them. It is well written and I can
> > appreciate it for that; however, in my opinion, it's not a YA book.
> >
> > Okay...don't throw too many stones at once! ;)
> >
> > Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq., CFE
> >
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Fri 18 Jan 2008 07:52:57 PM CST
