Podcasts about tonto fistfight

Sherman Alexie joins Tad to discuss The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Smoke Signals, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, comics and more!Consider becoming a patron!Support the show

If you were in middle school or high school in the last couple of decades, there's a good chance you were assigned Sherman's classic young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, an epistolary novel with cartoon illustrations about a native teenage boy growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation who decides to attend a nearly all-white high school. The book is semi-autobiographical. Sherman grew up on that reservation in the 1970s and 80s and is a member of the Spokane Tribe. He is also arguably — or perhaps inarguably — the most significant native American writer of the last 30 years. Not only did The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian win the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, among other prizes, but his 2009 book War Dances won the 2010 Pen/Faulkner award for fiction, and his 1993 story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven was adapted into the popular and highly acclaimed film Smoke Signals. Best of all (for me, anyway), Sherman is teaching a class for the brand-new Unspeakeasy School Of Thought. It's in a brand new genre: Writing Your Cancelation Story. In this conversation, Sherman talks about his career, his 2018 “cancelation event” (or at least its aftermath) and offers his thoughts on the state of writing and publishing, not least of all the recent incident wherein editors at the journal Guernica retracted an essay when the Twitter mob and its own staffers deemed it harmful, even “genocidal.” GUEST BIO Sherman Alexie is a poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, memoirist, and filmmaker. He's published two dozen books, including The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and was listed by the American Library Association as the Most Banned and Challenged Book from 2010 to 2019. He's won the PEN-Faulkner and PEN-Malamud awards, and he wrote and co-produced the award-winning film Smoke Signals, which was based on his short story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Visit Sherman's Substack. Check out his upcoming course here. HOUSEKEEPING

Book Vs. Movie: Smoke SignalsThe Sherman Alexie Short Story Vs. the 1998 Movie In this episode, the Margos delve into the acclaimed indie film Smoke Signals, released in 1998. This film was based on a series of short stories by Sherman Alexie in 1993, titled The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. The story follows two young men, Victor Joseph and Tom Builds-the-Fire, who grew up on a Spokane Indian Reservation. It explores the interconnectedness of their families, the perception of Native Americans in mainstream media, and the truth behind Tom's father's death. Smoke Signals was well-received by critics and audiences alike and was showcased at various film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival, the Gotham Awards, and the Independent Spirit Awards. In 2018, it was even added to the National Film Registry. Chris Eyre directed the movie, which was based on Alexie's screenplay. We'll also be discussing our personal preferences between the two. Come and join this discussion. Calm History:If you want to learn about curious moments from history while lowering your stress, try the new podcast Calm History. Each episode is narrated in a calm voice to help you to relax or fall asleep. You'll enjoy learning about famous explorers, leaders, athletes, inventions, civilizations, and ancient wonders. There is even a 6-part series about The Titanic. Search your podcast player for Calm History, or use the link to calmhistory.com in the episode notes.In this ep, the Margos discuss:The controversies of writer Sherman AlexieThe history of how America treats Indigenous people. (Big hint--not great!)The differences between Alexie's short stories and the filmThe cast of the 1998 film: Adam Beach (Victor Joseph,) Evan Adams (Thomas Builds-the-Fire,) Irene Bedard (Suzy Song,) Gary Farmer (Arnold Joseph,) John Trudell (Randy Peone,) Michael Greyeyes (Junior Polatkin,) Michelle St. John (Velma,) Elaine Miles (Lucy,) Cynthia Geary (Cathy the gymnast,) Perrey Reaves (Holly,) Molly Cheek (Penny Cicero,) Robert Maino (Burt Cicero,) and Tom Skerrit as the police chief.Clips used:“How to be a real Indian”Smoke Signals (1998 trailer)“Don't go, Dad!”“He's waiting for you”“I broke some hearts”“The Oral Tradition”Music: Wah Jhi le Yihm by Ulali Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupFollow us on Twitter @bookversusmovieInstagram: Book Versus Movie https://www.instagram.com/bookversusmovie/Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com Margo D. Twitter @BrooklynMargo Margo D's Blog www.brooklynfitchick.com Margo D's Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D's TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@margodonohuebrooklynfitchick@gmail.comYou can buy your copy of Filmed in Brooklyn here! Margo P. Twitter @ShesNachoMamaMargo P's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shesnachomama/Margo P's Blog https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5406542/advertisement

Book Vs. Movie: Smoke SignalsThe Sherman Alexie Short Story Vs. the 1998 Movie In this episode, the Margos delve into the acclaimed indie film Smoke Signals, released in 1998. This film was based on a series of short stories by Sherman Alexie in 1993, titled The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. The story follows two young men, Victor Joseph and Tom Builds-the-Fire, who grew up on a Spokane Indian Reservation. It explores the interconnectedness of their families, the perception of Native Americans in mainstream media, and the truth behind Tom's father's death. Smoke Signals was well-received by critics and audiences alike and was showcased at various film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival, the Gotham Awards, and the Independent Spirit Awards. In 2018, it was even added to the National Film Registry. Chris Eyre directed the movie, which was based on Alexie's screenplay. We'll also be discussing our personal preferences between the two. Come and join this discussion. Calm History:If you want to learn about curious moments from history while lowering your stress, try the new podcast Calm History. Each episode is narrated in a calm voice to help you to relax or fall asleep. You'll enjoy learning about famous explorers, leaders, athletes, inventions, civilizations, and ancient wonders. There is even a 6-part series about The Titanic. Search your podcast player for Calm History, or use the link to calmhistory.com in the episode notes.In this ep, the Margos discuss:The controversies of writer Sherman AlexieThe history of how America treats Indigenous people. (Big hint--not great!)The differences between Alexie's short stories and the filmThe cast of the 1998 film: Adam Beach (Victor Joseph,) Evan Adams (Thomas Builds-the-Fire,) Irene Bedard (Suzy Song,) Gary Farmer (Arnold Joseph,) John Trudell (Randy Peone,) Michael Greyeyes (Junior Polatkin,) Michelle St. John (Velma,) Elaine Miles (Lucy,) Cynthia Geary (Cathy the gymnast,) Perrey Reaves (Holly,) Molly Cheek (Penny Cicero,) Robert Maino (Burt Cicero,) and Tom Skerrit as the police chief.Clips used:“How to be a real Indian”Smoke Signals (1998 trailer)“Don't go, Dad!”“He's waiting for you”“I broke some hearts”“The Oral Tradition”Music: Wah Jhi le Yihm by Ulali Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupFollow us on Twitter @bookversusmovieInstagram: Book Versus Movie https://www.instagram.com/bookversusmovie/Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com Margo D. Twitter @BrooklynMargo Margo D's Blog www.brooklynfitchick.com Margo D's Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D's TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@margodonohuebrooklynfitchick@gmail.comYou can buy your copy of Filmed in Brooklyn here! Margo P. Twitter @ShesNachoMamaMargo P's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shesnachomama/Margo P's Blog https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

This episode we're continuing our conversation from last year and talking about What is a Book? We talk about hypertext, instruction manuals, visual novels, campfire stories, and more! You can download the podcast  directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or your favourite podcast delivery system. In this episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards Media We Mentioned DC Pride 2022 #1 Tic Tac Tome: The Autonomous Tic Tac Toe Playing Book by Willy Yonkers Homestuck (Wikipedia) Doki Doki Literature Club! (Wikipedia) Everything Everywhere All at Once (Wikipedia) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Wikipedia) Lasers & Feelings Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud Links, Articles, and Things Episode 144 - What is a Book? I read all 337 books in Skyrim so you don't have to  Episode 108 - Visual Novels Choose Your Own Adventure (Wikipedia) Demian's Gamebook Web Page KineticNovel (Wikipedia) Hypertext fiction (Wikipedia) HyperCard (Wikipedia) Flip Book (Wikipedia) Desert Bus for Hope Microform (Wikipedia) Rice writing (Wikipedia) Matthew was just wrong about this Changes to new editions of Roald Dahl books have readers up in arms Jaffa Cakes: Legal Status (Wikipedia) That time the X-Men's humanity was put on trial in a real court of law Fountain (Duchamp) (Wikipedia) 20 Books Adapted into Film/TV by BIPOC Authors (and 7 Being Adapted Soon) Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers' Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here. The Color Purple by Alice Walker | The Color Purple (1985) The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor | The Women of Brewster Place (1989 mini-series) Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, translated by Carol & Thomas Christensen | Like Water for Chocolate (1992) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan | The Joy Luck Club (1993) Beloved by Toni Morrison | Beloved (1998) The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie | Smoke Signals (1998) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi | Persepolis (2007) Q&A by Vikras Swarup | Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Push by Sapphire | Precious (2009) Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup | 12 Years a Slave (2013) Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly | Hidden Figures (2016) Silence by Shūsaku Endō, translated by William Johnston | Silence (2016) Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese | Indian Horse (2017) Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan | Crazy Rich Asians (2018) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | The Hate U Give (2018) If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin | If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han | To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Chararipotra | Tiny Pretty Things (2020 TV series) The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga | The White Tiger (2021) Pachinko by Min Jin Lee | Pachinko (2022 TV series) American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang | American Born Chinese (2023 TV series) The Color Purple by Alice Walker | The Color Purple (2023) Exit West by Mohsin Hamid | Exit West (2023) Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam | Leave the World Behind (2023) The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, translated by Ken Liu | The Three-Body Problem (2023 TV series) Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon | Blackout (forthcoming film & TV series) The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris | The Other Black Girl (forthcoming TV series) Give us feedback! Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read! Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, join our Facebook Group, or send us an email! Join us again on Tuesday, March 7th we'll be discussing the genre of Gender Theory/Studies!  Then on Tuesday, March 21st we'll be talking about Moving and Management of Books!

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (1993) vs The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich (2005).

Join Roxanne and Mikayla as they discuss Sherman Alexie and his 1993 book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. These short stories were adapted into the 1998 movie Smoke Signals, the first wide-release film written, directed, produced by, and starring Native Americans. Learn how Alexie's experiences growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation shaped his often-autobiographical writing and filmmaking focusing on the American Indian experience. Bonus: find out which actor is now Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority in Canada! Write to us at podcast@communitylibrary.net Find Sherman Alexie Books and Films InterLibrary Loan Become a Member

On Episode 52 of the Hippie Cholo Podcast, Adam doesn't always feel like himself at work and Jesse doesn't eat his Thanksgiving meal until the sun goes down. After some holiday-flavored buñuelo and biscocho (or "biscochito" for you Northern New Mexicans) talk, and wondering if we should bring back "compadre," we delve into the second half of Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."

On Episode 51 of the Hippie Cholo Podcast, Jesse remembers a dear friend and mentor. And after we get the COVID talk out of our system, Jesse passes on the dry-ass turkey, Adam brings back the Thanksgiving lasagna, and we share our thoughts on Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."

This week, Beto and Sarah discuss The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie. They talk about the sexual misconduct allegations against Alexie, discuss eight stories from the book, and interview Don Hoaglin, one of their high school English teachers! They also hear from listeners about their favorite teachers. Will this book be added to the Fancy Book Learnin’ library? Listen and find out! 

This is NOT by any means an exhaustive list. These are books that I've read, some multiple times, enjoyed, and learned from. Feel free to leave any of your favs in the comments.Start with Alice Walker's essay, "In Search of Our Mother's Gardens." It's a powerful look at Black creativity.A selection of fiction I've read and loved by Black and Indigenous authors:Gloria Naylor: The Women of Brewster Place, Mama Day, & Linden HillsToni Morrison: Song of Solomon, Sula, The Bluest Eye, & BelovedAlice Walker: The Color PurpleMaya Angelou: I know Why the Caged Bird SingsJamaica Kincaid: Annie John & LucyOctavia Butler: KindredRalph Ellison: Invisible ManRichard Wright: Native SonLouise Ehrdrich: Love MedicineAlexie Sherman: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven & The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time IndianMy to Read List:Louise Erdrich:  The Plague of Doves & The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No HorseTerri McMillan's newest book I Almost Forgot About YouYaa Gyasi: HomegoingAngie Thomas: The Hate You GiveTayari Jones: An American MarriageZinzi Clemmons: What We LoseLike the Podcast?Are you a subscriber? If not, I invite you to subscribe, so you’ll get notified every time a new episode goes up.Click here to subscribe on iTunes.Click here to subscribe on Stitcher.And, if you’re enjoying what you’re hearing, I’d be super grateful if you left me a review. Those help other creative souls find this show, and they’re fun to read. To leave a review, open up the podcast in your podcast player. Scroll down to the bottomStay Connected with AmyTake the Quiz to find out what kind of creator you are and get started creating, playing, and enJOYing your life.Connect on FacebookConnect on Instagram

​​​​This week Mike, Erin, James and Andrew stumble into a main topic that we didn't plan on talking about! Some book talk leads us to dissect E-books and online shopping as a whole. MAIN TOPIC STARTS AT ROUGHLY 30 min. Highlights from the opening: - We have a bit of a false start -We talk about The Tick and The Maxx -Erin talks books with "One Damn Thing After Another" -Erin, hilariously, does not realize the book takes place in England and spends 10 min confused as why the characters don't act more American -Tea Vs. Coffee -James talks about drawing -Andrew has a terrible fake NY accent -Andrew talks music with The Osees -Andrew tlaks books with "Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" -We talk the new Marc Maron special and then accidentally trip into our main topic MAIN TOPIC STARTS AT ROUGHLY 30 min

Sherman Alexie reads his story from the June 5 & 12, 2017, issue of the magazine. Alexie has published twenty-five books, including the novel “Flight” and the story collections “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” and “War Dances.” His memoir, “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,” comes out this month.

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Aboriginal, Indigenous, and First Nations Books.   This episode we're looking at another thematic genre/non-genre, so join us as we discuss the problems of reading aboriginal or indigenous characters written by non-indigenous authors, how we really didn’t get enough education in First Nations/Native Americans in school, and why it’s hard to find Australian Aboriginal or Sami books in Vancouver libraries. Your Hosts This Episode  Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Amanda Wanner  Recommended A Short History of Indians in Canada: Stories by Thomas King (Cherokee) The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene) Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis (Gwich'in Athabascan) Read The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf (The Tribe #1) by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Aboriginal Australian - Palyku) Sweat by Lesley Belleau (Anishinaabe) Three Feathers by Richard Van Camp (Dogrib [Tlicho] Dene) (Comic) Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction edited by Grace L. Dillon (contributors include Native American, First Nations, Aboriginal Australian, and Maori) War Dances by Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene) Children's Picture Books  The Giant Bear: An Inuit Folktale by Jose Angutingunrik, illustrated by Eva Widermann (Inuit folktale - not certain how the author identifies) Missing Nimama by Melanie Florence (Cree), illustrated by François Thisdale (Québécois) The Son of the Sun and the Daughter of the Moon by Holly Young Huth, Illustrated by Anna Vojtech (Sami folktale by non-Sami author & illustrator) The Reindeer People by Ted Lewin (American writing about Lapland) Did Not Finish Forty Days Without Shadow by Olivier Truc (French author writing about Sami) Bearheart: The Heirship Chronicles by Gerald Vizenor (Anishinaabe) Born with a Tooth by Joseph Boyden (Métis) (worth returning to) Other titles mentioned Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell (our youthful memories recommend this one) Recently featured on the Overdue podcast Morning Girl by Michael Dorris The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (totally recommended) Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George Talking Earth by Jean Craighead George Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson (highly recommended by a non-podcasting group member) Servant of the Underworld (Obsidian and Blood, #1) by Aliette de Bodard (French-American of French-Vietnamese descent writing historical fantasy about Aztecs) (recommended) I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala by Rigoberta Menchú, edited by Elisabeth Burgos-Debray Tilly, a Story of Hope and Resilience by Monique Gray Smith (recommended) My Name Is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling Red Spider White Web by Misha Nogha Neither Hero nor Anti-hero: Misha’s Red Spider White Web Review of Red Spider, White Web Interview: Misha Nogha and the Weird The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America and Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King Skin Room by Sara Tilley The Orenda and Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden Comics The Ballad of Nancy April: Shawnadithit by David Alexander Robertson and Scott B. Henderson Little Plum, a problematic old UK comic strip Scalped by Jason Aaron, R.M. Guera, and others (recommended) Tintin in America shows First Nations people being kicked off their land Links/Other American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) Canadian First Nations and Inuit reads from The 49th Shelf The Sixties scoop is vastly more complicated than described in our podcast so PLEASE take the time to get better facts on this subject from more knowledgeable sources. Maybe start with: This article by Indigenous Foundations - an information resource on Aboriginal peoples in Canada from the University of British Columbia This article on the legacy of the child welfare system on Canadian Aboriginal Communities from the First Nations newspaper, First Nations Drum The plain ol’ Wikipedia entry on the Sixties Scoop Remaining Aztec Codices JK Rowling under fire via CBC and The Guardian El Supremo Dictador, who forced racially integrated marriage in Paraguay “In order to destroy the colonial racial hierarchy which had also discriminated against him because of his mixed blood, Francia forbade Europeans from marrying other Europeans, thus forcing the élite to choose spouses from among the local population.” Originally discovered via this comic The Super Shamou comic and a rather scrambled safety video! Matthew Henson, the first African-American explorer in the arctic, and the review of the (problematic) comic recently written about him That moon landing was sooooooooo fake! Podcasts Métis in Space podcast from Indian and Cowboy podcasting Ryan McMahon (who pretty much is Indian and Cowboy podcasting) is also doing some amazing podcasting on Truth and Reconciliation in Canada in the Red Man Laughing podcast and just generally has a lot of stuff to say that’s worth hearing SS Librarianship and guest Michael Wynne on cataloguing First Nations and Aboriginal materials Questions Are there any First Nations mysteries? Are there Indigenous/Aboriginal specific genres? Does your library have an Aboriginal/Indigenous/First Nations section, sticker, or other method of bringing attention to these titles? Is there anything that we missed, misunderstood, or misspoke on? Check out our Pinterest board and Tumblr posts for all the Aboriginal, Indigenous, and First Nations Books people in our club read (or tried to read), and follow us on Twitter!  

Sherman Alexie is a major voice in contemporary American literature. He is the author of twenty books including “Reservation Blues” and “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.” The award-winning, and widely banned, young adult novel, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” won him the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

This week on StoryWeb: Sherman Alexie’s film Smoke Signals. Smoke Signals is the first – and as far as I know, only – feature-length, commercially distributed film written and directed by Native Americans with a fully Native American cast. Written by Sherman Alexie and directed by Chris Eyre, the 1998 film is loosely based on Alexie’s first collection of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, published in 1993. The film also includes characters who recur throughout Alexie’s other literary works. Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? I suppose it is predominantly a drama, as Victor Joseph and his friend Thomas Builds-the-Fire travel from the Coeur d’Alene reservation in Washington to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick up his father’s remains. In that sense, it is a coming-of-age story of sorts – or perhaps more accurately, a coming-to-terms story. But there are also many comic elements to the film, and the wry humor emerges in part because Smoke Signals is also a classic buddy road trip movie. Victor and Thomas, as mismatched as they ever were as children, spar and play off each other – Victor the cool, stoic Indian, Thomas the geeky, ever-chatty storyteller who smiles too much. As they ride the bus to Arizona, Victor tutors Thomas in how to present himself as a “real Indian.” He needs to let his hair flow freely as a symbol of his warrior status, and he needs to wipe the goofy grin off his face. Thomas returns wearing a Fry Bread Power T-shirt, his braids unfurled, his gaze serious, and his walk a swagger. While this scene is funny, it is also searing, as Alexie deftly skewers the stereotypes white Americans have of Indian people. Alexie pulls off this double-edged humor again and again in the film. One of my favorite scenes is the one in which Victor and Thomas ask two young women on the reservation for a ride. The women say they’ll consider the request but first need to hear a story. Ever one to spin a yarn, Thomas launches into an account of Victor’s father, Arnold Joseph, being arrested for protesting against the Vietnam War. He plea bargained, and his ultimate charge was “being an Indian in the twentieth century.” When Victor asks the women what they think and whether this story is good enough to catch them a ride, one of the women says, “I think it is a fine example of the oral tradition.” Academics who teach Native American storytelling and literature are caught up short – they’re forever celebrating the Native American oral tradition – but those in the audience can’t help but laugh. The scene ends with Victor and Thomas climbing into the backseat and with the car taking off in reverse – the only direction in which it goes. But the film is much more than jokes, funny thought they may be. No, the film is much more a drama. Called to retrieve his dead father’s ashes, Victor goes on a quest to find his father, to make peace – if he can – with the legacy of an alcoholic, sometimes violent father who abandoned Victor and his mother. At the end of the film, Victor calls to his father, Arnold, from the bridge over a river, and we feel his release as he lets his father’s ashes go. Like all of Alexie’s writing, Smoke Signals is self-aware, self-conscious, self-referential, perhaps one could say postmodern and not go too far. In Smoke Signals, there is a strong, clear story. But there are also “meta” references, where it’s clear that Alexie, as screenwriter, and Eyre, as director, are very well aware of the tropes they are using and overturning. Buddy film? Check. Road film? Check. Coming-of-age story? You got it. Western? You just might have something there. Developed at Sundance Labs, Smoke Signals won the Filmmaker’s Trophy at Sundance. Provocative insights into the film can be found in Filmmaker Magazine’s interview with Alexie and Eyre – and background on the making of the film and its impact on other Native American filmmakers can be found in an interview with Eyre. As the New York Times says, it is also more than a “first” in Native American film: “it is a step by a new generation of Indian artists toward finding an idiom for exploring their individual and cultural identities without resorting to self-pity, political correctness or Hollywood cliches.” For those of you who are teachers, check out the University of Michigan Press’s curriculum guide to Smoke Signals as well as the Teach with Movies supplemental lesson materials. If you haven’t seen Smoke Signals, you owe it to yourself to get a copy and take a look. And when you get hooked on Alexie’s work (as I know you will), you’ll want to delve into his print writing as well. Alexie is absolutely one of the best American Indian writers today (along with N. Scott Momaday, among others). His first novel, Reservation Blues, was published in 1996. His young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, won the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. War Dances, a collection of Alexie’s short stories and poems, won the 2010 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. This year, he published a picture book for children, Thunder Boy Jr. In addition to his fiction, poetry, screenplays, and books for young adults and children, you’ll also want to check out his poem “How to Write the Great American Indian Novel.” Visit thestoryweb.com/alexie for links to all these resources and to watch a short clip from Smoke Signals.

Sherman Alexie is a major voice in contemporary American literature. He is the author of twenty books including Reservation Blues and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. The award-winning, and widely banned, young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian won him the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.