Dewey’s Read-a-Thon: Hour 5

Pages Read This Hour: 92
Minutes Spent Reading This Hour: 29
Books Read This Hour: Reservation Blues by Sherman ALexie
Total Pages Read: 356
Books Completed: 2 (Disquiet by Julia Leigh, Expat ed. by Christina Henry de Tessan)
Tot. Mini-Challenges Participated In: 6
Tot. Minutes Spent Reading: 170
Minutes Spent Blogging/Mini-Challenge-ing This Hour: 9
Tot. Minutes Spent Blogging/Mini-Challenge-ing: 45
Minutes Spent Cheerleading This Hour: 22
Tot. Minutes Spent Cheerleading: 90

This hour’s pictures were a surprise to me! I was on the computer happily cheering away, when my dad came in with a package! For me! And it was all lumpy and exciting looking (sorry about the ridiculous Paint editing to get the addresses off. I had to reformat my laptop a couple days ago, and haven’t gotten around to installing any software). And when I opened it up, I found it was from My Friend Amy! I won Fragile Eternity in a giveaway, and she also included a super cute canvas tote bag. And that card-such bright colours! So thanks Amy!

I couldn’t decide what book to read next (the downside of a 35-book pile!), but the Sherman Alexie called out to me. I’m about a third of the way through it, and I’m absolutely loving it so far! I don’t know anything about reservation life, so Alexie’s introducing me to a whole new culture. The writing is great, with a hint of the magical realism I love and whole lot of humour. Here’s some dialogue that had me laughing (Arnold is a non-Indian priest sent to the reservation):

Arnold came to the reservation in his yellow VW van, expecting tipis and buffalo, since he had never been told otherwise. He was geniunely shocked when the Indians in his congregation spoke English.
“Buffalo?” asked Bessie, the oldest Catholic on the reservation. “What do you mean, buffalo? You really thought there were going to be buffalo here?”
“Yes,” he said, “I was looking forward to it.”
“Oh, Father,” Bessie said and laughed. “There weren’t any buffalo here to begin with. We’re a salmon tribe. At least, we were a salmon tribe before they put those dams on the river.”
“What baout the buffalo? I mean, INdians were always hunting buffalo on television.”
“It was those dang Sioux Indians. Those Sioux always get to be on television. They get everything.”

I also did the mini-challenge hosted by Trisha of Eclectic/Eccentric.

And finally, here’s my answer to Opi’s awesome mini-challenge about perspectives.

I read so many books that introduce me to different perspectives and worlds, it’s hard to pick just three! But here goes. :)
Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones: set in Atlanta when a child kidnapper/murderer was on the lose (1979-80), this book tells about three elementary school kids living in the affected area. For me, it was a unique perspective since all the characters were African American (and the three families come from different socioeconomic groups) and lived in the middle of a big city.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth: a sprawling tale about several families living in northeast India after the Partition (50s). The unique perspective comes in what a detailed, fascinating picture Seth gave me of India, especially middle and upper class Indian lives.
Swish by Joel Derfner: a memoir centered around Derfners attempt to become ‘the gayest man ever.’ The unique perspective is that I’m a straight girl who’s never been to New York City, so pretty much Joel’s opposite. ;)