Sherman Alexie is a Native American novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and filmaker. He grew up on the Spokane Indian Reserve and now lives in Seattle, Washington. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a first person novel in the perspective of Native American teenager Arnold Spirit Jr. who is determined to take his future in his own hands. Arnold leaves his school on the rez to attend an all-white highschool where he is the only Indian.