by Yann Martel.Quickie recap: This is a story that will make you believe in God. When the cargo ship sank, Pi was the only survivor. Well, the only human survivor. He spent 227 days lost at sea in a small life boat catching whatever rain and fish he could, all of which he had to share with a 450 pound Bengal tiger.
Quickie review: See that recap up above? You still have no idea what this book is about. It's not about the plot. It's not about the amazing ordeal, the insurmountable odds, or the incredible fortitude, the crippling grief, the indomitable will to live. It's not just about fear. It's not just about survival. It's not just about belief.
I saved this book, rereleased and illustrated by Tomislav Torjanac, to read as my first book of 2008 on purpose. I read it and fell in love years ago. I remember how it sent shivers up my spine. How I ached to talk to others about it. How I passed the book around, begged others to read it, felt tears threaten each time I tried to tell someone of its power. It was a treasure then, and now, this beautiful edition nearly sent me catapulting over the edge again. I read a lot, will always read a lot, but this kind of spine-tingling book comes along rarely in a lifetime, and I know now just as surely as I did the first time I read it that Life of Pi is one of those books, the kind you remember forever, the kind that goes down in history, the kind that changes you just for having read it.
Quickie recommendation: Do you have to ask?
4 comments:
Sounds like a great read, as do most of your posts here. So, do you read fast, or what? Hundreds of books in one year? Really? Impressive.
I just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying your quickie book reviews. I own this book and the last one you reviewed but hadn't read them yet, and now I can't wait to get stuck in to them! Cheers x
Aw, thanks Pomgirl. There's just nothing better than a good book, and you've got two!
No, Mark, I don't read quickly. I just dedicate more time to it than most people. I don't watch TV. I don't sleep much. I carry a book with me always, and I allow that to fill up the empty spaces that crop up day to day - waiting, traffic, downtime, etc.
This book has been calling out to me for a while now. I will read it thanks in part to your review.
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