“I am not throwing away my shot.” These words are spoken by Lin Manuel-Miranda as he portrays treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton. Similarly, to Hamilton, Alexie had a difficult beginning, which is what struck me as fascinating- Two men with onerous lives who rose above the expectations. Two men that used writing as an escape from their surroundings. Two men that craved writing in the same way they desperately needed food or drink. Alexie felt constantly degraded and disregarded throughout his childhood and adolescent life. However, books and the words written in them acted as a redeeming presence in his life, giving him hope and a safe haven to express his innermost emotions. Although from humble beginnings, Alexie preserved against the