Life of Pi

An absolutely marvellous read...apart from the beautiful prose and the flowing language, what I really liked about the book was the tremendous insight on animal behaviour and on the relationship between humans and animals. In fact, I was so fascinated by the book and since the author mentions in the preface that this is a true story, I looked up for 'Piscine Molitor Patel' on the web. ...more

An absolutely marvellous read...apart from the beautiful prose and the flowing language, what I really liked about the book was the tremendous insight on animal behaviour and on the relationship between humans and animals. In fact, I was so fascinated by the book and since the author mentions in the preface that this is a true story, I looked up for 'Piscine Molitor Patel' on the web. That's when I came to know that this is actually a fable. And the author juxtaposes the 'human' or 'humanistic' (i would rather not call it 'divine')element with the 'animal' or 'animalistic' element, in the form of Pi and the tiger, Richard Parker and how Pi was able to survive his ordeal because of the balance he struck between the two elements. Appatently,the other animals - the Orangutan, the zebra and the hyena are also representative of other elements or dimensions to being human - maternal instinct, uniqueness and cowardice respectively, but I wasn't quite convinced about this part, partly because these were neither developed nor formed an essential element of the story, in my opinion. The other theme that the book covers is about how reality is ultimately perception,when he asks the two Japanese men to choose the 'better story' and becomes evident in the storyline when the author narrates his encounter with the blind Frenchman and also the ecosystem consisting of the 'acidic' algae and the 'modified' meercats. One of the memorable lines that I will always remember is "To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation" when he mentions about agnostics lacking the imagination and missing the better story (versus a theist). I have not come across a better argument that a theist could give to an agnostic about his being a theist!   hide

Very strange and one of my favourite books, recommend this book everyone.

My favorite book, with an incredible ending. I loved this book.

Slog through the beginning which sets up an amazing story.