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Friday, May 13, 2016

#20 - War Dances - Sherman Alexie



#20
Title:  War Dances
Author:  Sherman Alexie
Read by:  Sherman Alexie
Genre:  Fiction
Rating:  B
Published:  2009
Dates:   5/1/16 – 5/13/16
Cds/Hrs: 4/4.75

“National Book Award winner and New York Times best-selling author Sherman Alexie infuses his writing with a mix of biting wit and poignant insight.”  So quotes the review on the back of the CD box.   I was having trouble sorting out this story to make sense.  It’s always helpful to know upfront you’re listening to a collection of short stories and not try to string the “chapters” into one coherent book.  I’ve done this before and did it again with this collection.  I didn’t even realize it until I began to write this review!  So forgive my simple-mindedness!! 

My favorite vignette is about the young obituary writer who must follow in the steps of the woman who had the job before he took over.  Alexie gets inside the soul and mind of his characters and in this case there is no exception.  The obit writer comes up against his boss who reads him the riot act about allowing an old woman to write her husband’s funeral notice.  The interaction between the writer and the woman is precious, too.  And leaves one with hope for mankind, including yours truly.   

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