false 4 0 false false Wed Dec 17 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 10 20:57:31 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 17 14:56:29 -0800 2008
The part-time Indian of the title is Arnold Spirit, a 14-year old kid living on a reservation. On the first day of school, he opens his math textbook to see the name of his mother inside the front cover, written there nearly 30 years prior.

This sets off a chain of events that leads Arnold to decide to become something more for himself, seek out a better education, fight the poverty that has claimed so many of his fellow tribesmen, and endure all the struggles that go along with becoming an adult at the same time.

Much of the story is depressing — I cried or had tears in my eyes at least 15 times during the course of this book. I cried within the first 10 pages! Arnold's life is sad but also inspiring — he knows deep down that only he is in charge of his fate.

To quote the main character:
I used to think the world was broken down by tribes. 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.

As a side note, found some interesting items in this book when I brought it home from the library: an NWA ticket from Richmond to Detroit to Houston dated early November 2008, and a Continental ticket from Houston to Atlanta to Richmond to Detroit, dated mid November 2008.]]>