The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

books can be both mirrors and windows—mirrors in which readers can see themselves on the pages of literature and thereby know their existence in the world is valid and true, and windows into worlds they might never have imagined.

“The world, even the smallest parts of it, is filled with things you don’t know.”

no matter how much you learn, you just keep on learning there is so much more you need to learn.”

If you let people into your life a little bit, they can be pretty damn amazing.

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.

“You can do it.” “I can do it.” Do you understand how amazing it is to hear that from an adult? Do you know how amazing it is to hear that from anybody? It’s one of the simplest sentences in the world, just four words, but they’re the four hugest words in the world when they’re put together. You can do it.