life of pi.

This is one of those books that I tried reading five times, and couldn't get into it, and then a year later I tried again and couldn't put it down. I have an obsession with Man Booker Prize winning books, and this one is one of the best I've read. Life of Pi is a strange combination of imagination, theology, and zoology. Idon't know how Martel is able to combine these contrasting elements, but he does so in a very entertaining and thought provoking way!

The story is about Pi Patel, a young Indian boy. The book tells the story of his religious development and how he is Christian, Muslim, and Hindu at the same time. His father manages a zoo in Pondicherry, and Pi goes on for pages defending zoos. But the bulk of the book is about Pi's journey from India to Canada. His family decides to move to Toronto because they don't like the political leadership in India. The ship sinks, leaving Pi alone in a lifeboat with some animals from his father's zoo- a tiger, an orangutan, and a hyena. The hyena eats the orangutan, and the tiger eats the hyena. This book is about how Pi learns how to survive in the open sea with a vicious tiger.

I loved reading Life of Pi, even though I didn't always agree with the religious philosophy. The ending led me to believe that religion is only a good story- the product of a creative mind. I recommend this one to anyone that likes a good story told well.