A hodgepodge of poems and other writings. I don't get his popularity. ( )

Sherman Alexie is a talented writer who has a lot to teach non-Indians about Indians and also to point out things to Indians about themselves. Oh,and all of us humans can reflect on the trials of human nature here,too.

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Painful - but insightful. I've read his later books (most recently The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, which is marvelously accessible to all kinds of readers,) and his humor and hope sustain one through the pain. This is his first book, and the pain is more raw, but the humor is still there. I am wondering if I might have the courage to look at despair as he does.
p.s. I write my review before reading other reviews - and then I go on to avidly read what others think. If you do that, too, note all the times "raw" and "hope" are used. Not so many noted the humor; didn't others think it was hysterically funny? ( )

The Business Of Fancy Dancing: Stories and Poems
By Sherman Alexie
1992
Hanging Loose Press

Published in 1992, selling over 10,000 copies, this is a collection of poems, many which have previously been published. Sherman Alexies writing is always Native American based, his undeniable talent for language, usage of words always make his work hard to put down. His sense of humor is excellent, I find myself laughing or chuckling out loud frequently and makes his work even more engaging. It brings his fable like stories to point.
Fancy dancing is competitive pow wow dancing created by Native Americans veterans from WW II as a form of entertainment. Newer cultures and fashion styles often compete with the elder more traditional dances.
This collection tells of the constant struggle with his feelings of powerlessness growing up in a white man's world. His humorous but purposeful poems are unforgettable. Check him out. ( )

This hauntingly beautiful collection of poems and short stories is a gritty account of life on the reservation. It's a fast read, but one should savour each poem, going slowly and taking the time to be absorbed into this world. Though the life portrayed is hard—full of disappointment and failed dreams—there is a unmistakable lining of hope, and of the promise of family ties. By mixing prose and poetry, Sherman Alexie reaches into deep into native American culture as it is, both the good and the bad. ( )