Sherman Alexie question/recommendation

I am 1 short story away from finishing The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven. I teach american lit in high school, and we are considering adding a new modern novel, hopefully something from a minority voice. I would like to use Alexie, but this might cause some problems due to about 10 "fucks" and an equal number of "shits." I am willing to go to our School Board and explain that this is used in a non-offensive way, yadda yadda yadda.

Has anyone read any of Alexie's other writings? I am going to, but have not as of yet. Any thing I should read first that is still good but may use less offensive language?

I don't remember the fuck-count! Probably pretty high.

Another terrific book you might consider is James Welch's "Winter in the Blood." There might be a sex scene or two in it, though, damn. Welch was Blackfeet, died a few years ago, wonderful writer.

Much writing about modern Native American life is pretty gritty --

of the Spokane tribe, so looking for pious prose is an exercise in futility.

It would be a shame if one's distaste for certain words put him off Alexie's books, though. His books are wonderful, as are the films he's done.

make it a tricky sell for high schoolers.

I taught Alexie to college students, though, and the students always loved his work --

and I don't think that the language would be a problem for most of them, especially given the way it is included--it just seems to fit with the guys saying it and it isn't really a big deal. The problem, of course would be the parents. Especially given that I teach in whitey, white-white central Wisconsin, this would be a FABULOUS read for these students to open their world view.

I am thinking of just going to the School Board and being up front about the problems with language, point it all out, and explain why it isn't a big deal. I am hoping they will agree. They let us teach Ordinary People which also contains the magic F word as well as A LOT of masturbation references.

Lone Ranger & Tonto is the only Alexie I've read. So, I can't really help you with that. But Louise Erdrich is another great Native American writer. She's written tons of great novels and her language tends to be pretty clean. You should give her stuff a look. Also, if you'd consider Chicana writers, The Mixquiahuala Letters by Ana Castillo or Sandra Cisneros' short story collection, Woman Hollering Creek would make nice choices.

But you're right about the profanity. What I did for my middle schoolers one year was have them read traditional Native American folktales, a few older writings, such as words attributed to Chief Seattle and Chief Joseph, and then we watched "Smoke Signals," a film based on Alexie's stuff. (It has a number of "shits," as far as I can remember, but no "fucks.") We compared and contrasted the different works, and the kids really enjoyed it. Got some really great writing assignments out of the unit, as well!

Other novel of his I have read is Indian Killer and that one is more rude/crude than the Lone Ranger book...if you want to add some new indian books, try Son of the Morning Star, sorry cant' remember who wrote it...or Black Elk Speaks by John C. Neidhardt, or Fools Crow...I also can't remember who wrote Fools Crow....but there you go...albeit, I imagine the Son of the Morning Star one will give some high school kids a hard time...but if you are teaching seniors, hit them with it...:)

I met Sherman Alexie in Fall of 96/spring of 97 at Haskell Indian Nations University, our philosophy prof, Mr. Wildcat got him to be a guest speaker in our Social Problems class....he was a good speaker...:) I can't remember exactly which semester it was, it was a while ago....:)