The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

“Well, life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of the community.”

“The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.”

I think all of us are always five years old in the presence and absence of our parents.

And I realized that, sure, Indians were drunk and sad and displaced and crazy and mean, but, dang, we knew how to laugh.

There is nobody you can hate as much as somebody you used to love.