Flight by Sherman Alexie

Put on your seatbelts, you’re in for a ride. Flight takes the reader through time and space on a journey of reflection. Prepare to be transported, living brief moments in the bodies of other people. Encounter the famous and forgotten of the past. Struggle with the choices you are faced with as the character is. While body-swapping, you’ll experience the memories and emotions of white men and Indian men – feeling their rage, grief, fears and loves. When thrown in the middle of a battle, how do you decide who the good guys are? What would you kill for? Flight offers pause in a world of Hollywood violence. None of this reflection, however, slows down the plot. It moves along swiftly with the humor I’ve come to expect from this author. Once again, Alexie makes me laugh and cry on the same page. I think you will too.
Rating: 4 stars                                        Recommended Age: 17 and up for language and sexual references
Publisher: Black Cat, copyright 2007     Pages: 181
Source: Iowa City Public Library            More on this author at: http://www.fallsapart.com/

War Dances by Sherman Alexie

A collection of short stories and poems, War Dances regards serious subjects (like death, race, sex and marriage) in a humorous light. This is the second Alexie book I’ve read and I appreciate his clairvoyance and directness. He is not afraid to offend in jest or for real and I actually enjoy authors who don’t beat around the bush but lay things out in the open, even if I don’t agree with (what I think is) “the message.” In War Dances, Alexie captures the multifaceted culture of the U.S. like no author I've read so far. Alexie fans will like War Dances and if you’re new to Alexie jump in and read this. He's one of today's authors you need to try out.
Favorites: “The Limited,” Breaking and Entering, War Dances, “Roman Catholic Haiku.”
Disliked: The Senator’s Son and The Ballad of Paul Nonetheless
Rating: 4 stars                               Recommended Age: 17 and up for language and sexuality.
Publisher: Grove Press, 2009    Pages: 209
Other Alexie Reads: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian: 5 stars, YA Novel