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Life of Pi

By Yann Martel

(400)

| Others | 9780156027328

Book Description

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes.

The ship sinks. Pi finds himsContinue

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes.

The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true?

46 Reviews

  • 3 people find this helpful

    Although some of the others criticize the first part of the novel is a bit distracted from the main plot, I actually enjoy that part very much. Probably because in some sense I am a religious/mystical person? Seriously the twist in the end is expected, yet the impact to its readers nonetheless did n ... (continue)

    Although some of the others criticize the first part of the novel is a bit distracted from the main plot, I actually enjoy that part very much. Probably because in some sense I am a religious/mystical person? Seriously the twist in the end is expected, yet the impact to its readers nonetheless did not reduce a single bit.

    It then gives rise to my other question: do we really need an answer for everything? Or we just need to believe what sooths us the best? It's a teen question... and I at that time usually put in this way: "We usually dare not to face the reality as we are to feeble to fight against the brutality of truth."

    Life is never easy. Probably there's a tiger in everybody's heart as it is our will-to-live. Perhaps.

    Is this helpful?

    ― 張日．ZhangRi said on Dec 21, 2006 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 2 people find this helpful

    The story is a basically about an Indian boy survived after floating for 227 days in the Pacific Ocean, together with a Bengal Tiger on a lifeboat, after the sinking of the cargo ship he was on board.

    Some funny quotes on religions by the author:

    “Hindus and Christians are idolaters. The ... (continue)

    The story is a basically about an Indian boy survived after floating for 227 days in the Pacific Ocean, together with a Bengal Tiger on a lifeboat, after the sinking of the cargo ship he was on board.

    Some funny quotes on religions by the author:

    “Hindus and Christians are idolaters. They have many gods.”

    “And Muslims have many wives,”

    “Christians know nothing about religion…They strayed long ago from God’s path,”

    “You don’t have a single miracle to show for it. What kind of religion is that, without miracles?”… “It isn’t a circus with dead people jumping out of tombs all the time, that’s what! We Muslims stick to the essential miracle of existence. Birds flying, rain falling, crops growing – these are miracles enough for us.”

    “Well, a whole lot of good it did God to be with you – you tried to kill him! You banged him to a cross with great big nails. Is that a civilized way to treat a prophet? The prophet Muhammad – peace upon him – brought us the word of God without any undignified nonsense and died at a ripe old age.”

    “The word of God? To that illiterate merchant of yours in the middle of the desert? Those were drooling epileptic fits brought on by the swaying of his camel, not divine revelation. That, or the sun frying his brains!”

    “…foreign religions”

    “And with their one god Muslims are always causing troubles and provoking riots. The proof of how bad Islam is, is how uncivilized Muslims are,”

    “Says the slave-driver of the caste system…Hindus enslave people and worship dressed-up dolls.”

    “They are golden calf lovers. The kneel before cows,”

    “While Christians kneel before a white man! They are the flunkies of a foreign god. They are the nightmare of all non-white people.”

    “And the eat pigs and are cannibals,”

    Is this helpful?

    ― ooooiivviioooo said on May 31, 2007 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 2 people find this helpful

    This is an absolutely glorious wonderful subtle amazing book. I read it a few years ago and embarked on a re-read after a talk with some friends about it. It was even better the second time.
    Try 'In the heart of the sea' by Nathaniel Philbrick for the story of the sinking of the whaleship Esse ... (continue)

    This is an absolutely glorious wonderful subtle amazing book. I read it a few years ago and embarked on a re-read after a talk with some friends about it. It was even better the second time.
    Try 'In the heart of the sea' by Nathaniel Philbrick for the story of the sinking of the whaleship Essex, on which Moby Dick was based. It makes a great combination with Life of Pi. Truth versus fiction.

    Is this helpful?

    ― annemarie said on Mar 4, 2007 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • In viaggio di salvataggio

    Suggerisco questo titolo a quei lettori che sanno avere pazienza, che non si arrendono di fronte ai primi capitoli descrittivi e spesso demoralizzanti,quando la vicenda si sviluppa, quando si rimane sulla scialuppa, ecco che cominci a divorare le pagine con il timore che la salsedine dell'acqua poss ... (continue)

    Suggerisco questo titolo a quei lettori che sanno avere pazienza, che non si arrendono di fronte ai primi capitoli descrittivi e spesso demoralizzanti,quando la vicenda si sviluppa, quando si rimane sulla scialuppa, ecco che cominci a divorare le pagine con il timore che la salsedine dell'acqua possa rovinare la carta, il finale è disarmante.

    Is this helpful?

    ― Dubbafetta said on Nov 23, 2009 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

  • Wonderful story, although the first and second halves feel like they were written by different authors- dissimilar writing style and tone.

    Is this helpful?

    ― OleArch said on Sep 22, 2009 | Add your feedback

Book Details

  • Rating:
    (400)
    • 4 stars
    • 3 stars
    • 2 stars
    • 1 star
  • English Books
  • Others 336 Pages
  • ISBN-10: 0156027321
  • ISBN-13: 9780156027328
  • Publisher: Harvest Books
  • Pub date: May 01, 2003
  • Dimensions: 20 cm x 14 cm x 3 cm Just how big is that?
  • Also available as: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback, Hardcover, Audio Cassette and School & Library Binding
  • In other languages:
    • <span class='translatable' lang='Cover of '{[title]}''>Cover of '少年Pi的奇幻漂流'</span>
      少年Pi的奇幻漂流
      (繁體書)
    • <span class='translatable' lang='Cover of '{[title]}''>Cover of '少年Pi的奇幻漂流'</span>
      少年Pi的奇幻漂流
      (简体书)
    • <span class='translatable' lang='Cover of '{[title]}''>Cover of 'Schiffbruch mit Tiger.'</span>
      Schiffbruch mit Tiger.
      (Deutsche Bücher)
    • <span class='translatable' lang='Cover of '{[title]}''>Cover of 'Vida de Pi'</span>
      Vida de Pi
      (Libros en Español)
    • <span class='translatable' lang='Cover of '{[title]}''>Cover of 'Vita di Pi'</span>
      Vita di Pi
      (Libri Italiani)
    • <span class='translatable' lang='Cover of '{[title]}''>Cover of 'Het leven van Pi'</span>
      Het leven van Pi
      (Nederlandse Boeken)
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Prices Change currency & sellers

ISBN Edition List Sale Seller
9780156027328 Others $15.00 $10.20 Amazon US
£9.10 -- Amazon UK
$20.75 -- Amazon CA
¥1783.00 ¥1839.00 Amazon JP
€10.98 €10.98 Amazon FR
-- €10.45 Amazon DE
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+ 15 copies tradable: 2 in USA →
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