Life of Pi

Every once in awhile I'm lucky enough to read a book that has the power to take you apart and put you back together again. Life of Pi is just such a book. It is without a doubt one of the most fascinating and paradoxical novels I've ever read. Is it an adventure story? Yes and no. Is it an allegory? Yes and no. Is it truthful or factual?

Both and neither.

It really defies description or being pigeonholed in any way. About the only way to describe this book to someone would be to start on page one and commence reading. If you do read it I think you'll find it both sacred and profane; sublime and horrifying. I was fortunate enough to have the illustrated edition with pictures by the artist Tomislav Torjanic. Beautiful rich images that complement the text and help the reader conceptualize some extraordinary circumstances. I'm posting a few below...



I feel indebted to Yann Martel for writing such a wonderful story, but I think everyone should be grateful to him for becoming the kind of man capable of writing such a book. Art of this caliber doesn't come easy.