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DonorsChoose.org - Online charity that assists classrooms in need - a resource for requesting book donations and other assistance to support public school projects.

Teachers.net: Reservation Blues - Teacher resources, including lesson plans for Reservation Blues.

Google Scholar search - Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research.

reader's guides

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Downloadable PDF file

Flight - Reader's Guide from Grove Atlantic

Indian Killer - Reader's Guide from Grove Atlantic

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven - Reader's Guide from Grove Atlantic

Ten Little Indians - Reader's Guide from Grove Atlantic

The Toughest Indian in the World - Reader's Guide from Grove Atlantic

teacher disucssion group. We've created a Yahoo! disucssion group specifically for K-12 teachers to use to discuss teaching Alexie's work in their classrooms. To join and learn more, visit the teaching alexie group page.

analysis & criticism.
titles in alphabetical order

• A Grain of Poetry: How to Read Contemporary Poems and Make Them a Part of Your Life by Herbert R. Kohl. Sherman's poem "The Exaggeration of Despair," from The Summer of Black Widows, is analyzed in this book, which also has a great appendix to assist in further research.
• The American Indian Quarterly - includes articles about Sherman in various issues.
• American Literature, vol. 68, #1, March 1996, pages 91-110: "Reservation Home Movies: Sherman Alexie's Poetry," critical essay by Jennifer Gillan. This essay available through JSTOR.
• Approaching Literature in the 21st Century: Fiction, Poetry, Drama by Peter Schakel, Jack Ridl. Includes an indepth look at Sherman's work, listed in TOC.
• The Arbutus/Madrone Files: Reading the Pacific Northwest by Laurie Ricou. A look at twentieth-century Pacific Northwest writing that includes references to "The Man Who Loves Salmon."
• Across the Great Divide: Cultures of Manhood in the American West, edited by Matthew Basso, Laura McCall and Dee Garceau, includes discussion of Smoke Signals.
• Celluloid Indians: Native Americans and Film by Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, includes commentary on Smoke Signals.
• Cinema of Outsiders by Emanuel Levy includes discussion of Smoke Signals.
• Contemporary American Indian Literatures & the Oral Tradition by Susan Berry Brill De Ramirez, includes analysis of First Indian on the Moon.
• Contemporary Authors New Revision Series, Volume 65 A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General Non-Fiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television, & Other Fields
• Contemporary Literary Criticism, vol. 96 Excerpts from Criticism of the Works of Today's Novelists, Poets, Playwrights, Short Story Writers, Scriptwriters, & Other Creative Writers.
• Conversations with Sherman Alexie, edited by Nancy Peterson, includes interviews - ranging from 1993 to 2007- that feature Alexie speaking candidly about the ideas and themes behind poetry collections, short story collections, novels, and screenplays.
• Created Writing: Poetry from New Angles by Paul Agostino includes poem "Giving Blood."
• Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction - includes articles on Sherman in various issues.
• Encyclopedia of 20th Century American Humor by Alleen Nilsen and Don Lee Fred Nilsen, includes an "American Indian Humor" section which has commentary on Smoke Signals.
• Escape Stories: Narratives and Native Americans in Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, a critical essay by Andrew Dix.
• The Heart As a Drum: Continuance and Resistance in American Indian Poetry by Robin Riley Fast, focuses on themes in contemporary Native American literature, such as community and audience, the meanings of place and history, and more.
• How Should I Read These: Native Women Writers in Canada by Helen Hoy. Includes excerpts from Sherman's poetry and fiction and references to Sherman's readings and talks.
• Literary and Cinematic Reservation in Selected Works of Native American Author Sherman Alexie by Meredith K. James.
• Literature of the American West by Greg Lyons, includes bio, discussion questions on poetry and film, as well as research and writing topics.
• The Longwood Guide to Writing by Ronald F Lunsford, Bill Bridges, includes two of Sherman's poems: That Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump; The Powwow at the End of the World.
• Mixedblood Messages: Literature, Film, Family, Place by Louis Owens, includes references to Sherman's fiction.
• Muting White Noise: Native American Novelists and the End of Conquest by Jim Cox includes a chapter on Sherman's fiction.
• Native American Identities: From Stereotype to Archetype in Art and Literature by Scott B. Vickers.
• Native American Representations: First Encounters, Distorted Images, and Literary Appropriations edited by Gretchen Bataille.
• Native North America: Critical and Cultural Perspectives, edited by Renee Hulan, includes an essay with references to Sherman's work.
• The Nature of Native American Poetry by Norma C. Wilson.
• The Norton Book of American Autobiography, edited by Jay Parini, includes bio and selections from First Indian on the Moon.
• Novels for Students, vol. 17, chapter 4 published by Gale Group, has a study guide for The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.
• The Old Lady Trill, the Victory Yell; The Power of Women in Native American Literature (Native Americans-Interdisciplinary Perspectives) by Patrice Hollrah devotes a chapter to women characters in Alexie's work.
• The Salon.Com Reader's Guide to Contemporary Authors, edited by Laura Miller, contains a brief except on Sherman written by Bruce Barcott.
• Short Stories for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context & Criticism on Commonly Studied Short Stories, vol. 18, chapter 2, published by Gale Group, has a study guide for "Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at Woodstock."
• Sing With the Heart of a Bear: Fusions of Native and American Poetry 1890-1999 by Kenneth Lincoln, includes commentary on Sherman's contribution to literature and analysis of his work.
• Studies in American Indian Literatures published by Journal of the Association for the Study of American Indian Literatures - many issues include references to Sherman's work.
• TO COME TO LIGHT, Perspectives on Chronic Illness in Modern Literature, edited by Amy Bonomi. A unique emotional, spiritual link for the professionals who research and treat chronic illness, and the actual patients and caregivers who experience those illnesses.
• Understanding Sherman Alexie by Daniel Grassian.
• Wiping the War Paint off the Lens - Native American Film and Video, by Beverly R. Singer, is a comprehensive exploration of Native American filmmaking and video production.
• Western American Literature, Summer 2005, essay "America is a Diet Pepsi: Sherman Alexie's Reservation Blues" by Blythe Tellefsen.

see also.

If you find a helpful link or resource not listed on this site, please contact christyc@fallsapart.com with information to add to the site.