Poet returns for reading
Amelia Ferrel
Issue date: 1/26/07 Section: Entertainment
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Sherman Alexie, a renowned poet, writer and comedian, is coming to Gonzaga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, to share some of his poetry in the Globe Room of Cataldo at 7:30 p.m.
Alexie, who is difficult to book, is visiting thanks to the prolonged efforts of the English department, Raymond Reyes, associate mission vice president for intercultural relations, the department of intercultural relations and numerous associates.
Alexie is a member of the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian tribe and was raised on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Wash. As a baby, he overcame a brain condition called hydrocephalus, which doctors thought would leave him severely damaged. After graduating from Reardan High School, he spent two years at Gonzaga and then transferred to Washington State University. It was at WSU that he discovered his calling to write.
He started publishing poetry collections and soon moved on to short stories and novels. Alexie has also performed singing and comedy routines that have been aired on the radio and recorded on CDs.
Alexie is perhaps most well-known for the screenplay of the award-winning "Smoke Signals," a Shadow Catcher Entertainment film released in 1998. "Smoke Signals" is a dramatization of "This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona," one of Alexie's early short stories from the collection "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Alexie uses his writing genius not only to publish but also to compete. In 1998, he won the World Poetry Bout and went on to become the only poet to win four years in a row. In addition to this victory, he has won more than 15 distinguished awards for his works and has received numerous other honors.
His latest collections, "Ten Little Indians" and "Dangerous Astronomy," joined Alexie's repertoire in 2005, raising the count of his published books to 17. Alexie is still writing, and fans are anticipating the upcoming publishing of the novel "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian."
Alexie, who is difficult to book, is visiting thanks to the prolonged efforts of the English department, Raymond Reyes, associate mission vice president for intercultural relations, the department of intercultural relations and numerous associates.
Alexie is a member of the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian tribe and was raised on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Wash. As a baby, he overcame a brain condition called hydrocephalus, which doctors thought would leave him severely damaged. After graduating from Reardan High School, he spent two years at Gonzaga and then transferred to Washington State University. It was at WSU that he discovered his calling to write.
He started publishing poetry collections and soon moved on to short stories and novels. Alexie has also performed singing and comedy routines that have been aired on the radio and recorded on CDs.
Alexie is perhaps most well-known for the screenplay of the award-winning "Smoke Signals," a Shadow Catcher Entertainment film released in 1998. "Smoke Signals" is a dramatization of "This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona," one of Alexie's early short stories from the collection "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
Alexie uses his writing genius not only to publish but also to compete. In 1998, he won the World Poetry Bout and went on to become the only poet to win four years in a row. In addition to this victory, he has won more than 15 distinguished awards for his works and has received numerous other honors.
His latest collections, "Ten Little Indians" and "Dangerous Astronomy," joined Alexie's repertoire in 2005, raising the count of his published books to 17. Alexie is still writing, and fans are anticipating the upcoming publishing of the novel "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian."