He first began writing poetry and then moved into short and then longer fiction. He is also known for his formal experimentation and remarkable versatility across genres, which allow him to connect to a wide range of readers internationally. He discovered Native American writers while in college and was most influenced by the poet Adrian Louis, particularly his concept of the “reservation of the mind.” As a result of such influences and the realities of reservation life, he gave up drinking at the age of twenty-three, but alcohol abuse remains prominent in much of his work, along with complex themes centered on gender, sexuality, intergenerational trauma, and the urban-versus-reservation experience. He attended the off-reservation school and Gonzaga University but graduated with a degree in American studies from Washington State University in 1991. Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d’Alene) was born on October 7, 1966, on the Spokane Indian Reservation.
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