Life of Pi by Yann Martel

BOOK: Life of Pi
AUTHOR: Yann Martel
PUBLISHER: Cannongate
PAGES: 319 pages

After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, one solitary lifeboat remains bobbing in the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan...and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.

I bought this book in Heathrow Airport after failing to buy it twice in Washington, DC. My friend, Taha, had told me that it would be a very interesting read. He was right. I usually buy books based on the number of reviews on the back or front covers. Life of Pi had a gazillion. Plus, it won the Man Booker Prize. If you are book lover like me, then you know that a Booker prize winning book is a must read!

I wasn’t disappointed…except where I had to look online to investigate the interpretations of the book. Reviewers claim that the book will make you believe in God. I guess for peeps like me who have an unwavering faith in God, the book didn’t do much to make me re-believe. However, it did have some amazing quotes like:

Repetition is important in the training not only of animals but also of humans.

The presence of God is the finest of rewards.

Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defence, not God's, that the self-righteous should rush.

It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.

 If you are mildly philosophical, you should read this book. If you like reading extensively, you should also read it. Check out the Book of the Month link to find out more about this book. Enjoy!