Old Shirts & New Skins (Native American, No 9) (Paperback)

by Sherman Alexie (Author), Elizabeth Woody (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Alexie ( The Business of Fancydancing ) here emerges as a Native poet of the first order. He captures the full range of modern Native experience, writing both with anger and with great affection and humor. Detailing the continuing deprivation and colonialism, the poet pointedly asks, "Am I the garbageman of your dreams?" and defines Native "economics": "risk" is playing poker with cash and then passing out at powwow. Focusing on the Leonard Peltier case, Alexie exposes the ineffectualness of both white Indian-lovers and some Native leaders in "The Marlon Brando Memorial Swimming Pool": "Peltier goes blind in Leavenworth . . . / and Brando sits, fat and naked, by the Pacific ocean. There was never / any water in the damn thing. " General Custer is allowed to give an accounting of himself, as Alexie links genocide of America's indigenous peoples with Vietnam, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and other acts of warfare and destruction. Alexie writes comfortably in a variety of styles. Many of the poems turn on grim irony, putting the author himself in the traditional role of the trickster. Adrian Louis provides a powerful foreword, and Elizabeth Woody's moody illustrations add to the volume's impact.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
In the best tradition of confronting American reality and exacting vision and meaning from it, Sherman Alexie chooses to use poetic power. His vision is an amazing celebration of endurance, intimacy, love, and creative insight; finally, it is a victory that can be known only by a people who refuse to submit to the thieves, liars, and killers that have made them suffer tremendous loss and pain. Old Shirts & New Skins is an honest and painful perception of contemporary Native American life. In it, Sherman Alexie, a poet of the Coeur d'Alene people, speaks for the spirit of Native American resistance, determination, and sovereignty, compelling us to realize our own need to confront reality with an honest and inspiring vision. --Simon J. Ortiz

Like the woman who pours her life into a stew of survival, Sherman Alexie has created a meal, not for a reader to consume but for a reader to be changed by. These are poems, raw and lean, that tell another side of history, the real names of the meanness sometimes called "America." History is here, now. Survival is being documented, changes measured. --Linda Hogan

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Product Details

• Paperback: 94 pages
• Publisher: American Indian Studies; 1st edition (January 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0935626360
• ISBN-13: 978-0935626360
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #340,229 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good book, November 27, 2000

By	Schwanda (Shoreline, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This book seems simpler than Alexie's later works, though by no means do I mean that in a literal way. Later works reveal a deep and complex style and voice. This book, an early piece, shows what is to come. Alexie's voice is strong and powerful, with very pointed pieces arranged in creative and innovative ways. This is a stepping-stone book into his heavier works, such as Summer of Black Widows and One Stick Song. You can definitly see where Alexie is going in this book...up.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and true, May 5, 2000

By	Paulette Ballou "Polly" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This book of poetry has a real quality, a sort of grittiness so you know it's true.

The poems tie together present miseries with the history of Indian wars. But of course it's not the version of Indian wars we got through the movies; rather it is the untold part, of suffering of native people defending their way of life.

I am new to Sherman Alexie and new to American Indian literature; I came upon him through his movie "Smoke Signals." It's very good reading!

His writing contains heavy themes, but is light and graceful and has a healing quality. "Shirts" and "Skins" are the team names in pickup baasketball games; "'skins" is how Indians call themselves. I dont know what a "shirt" is - a white guy, probably -- that would fit. There is humor, word play and joy here holding up a world of sadness.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real role Model for writers, October 16, 2002

By	Justin Evans (West Wendover, Nevada United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For a long time I heard little bits and pieces about a poet named Sherman Alexie. I would see his name appear here and there, or a few words speak of him, and then I would lose track. After Smoke Signals came out, I vowed that I would remember Sherman Alexie and read more of what he had to say.

Years passed, to my shame. As a writer I was probably afraid on some level to begin reading his work because I had heard of his amazing success at a young age, but more important, his amazing output.

I finally decided to get a book, and I chose to buy Old Shirts & New Skins. I absolutely love it. The poems and the stories wonderfully compliment each other and tell a story of identity and pride. I really enjoyed the biting humor. it rang so completely true, I sometimes could not contain myself.

Based upon what I have read in this book, I will definately keep reading and buying his books.