Life of Pi [Hardcover] Review

With over 1250 reviews already registered for LIFE OF PI, I first thought there could be nothing more to say about this marvelous novel. But after scanning the most recent 100 reviews, I began to wonder what book many of those reviewers had read. Had I relied on 98 of those reviews, I would have expected a far different book than the one I actually read.

Let's begin with what LIFE OF PI isn't. It's not a Man against Nature survival story. It's not a story about zoos or wild animals or animal husbandry. It's not ROBINSON CRUSOE or SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. It's not a literary version of CASTAWAY or OPEN WATER, and it's not a "triumph against all odds, happily ever after" rescue story. To classify it as such would be like classifying THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA as a story about a poor fisherman or MOBY DICK as a sea story. Or THE TRIAL as a courtroom drama, THE PLAGUE as a story of an epidemic, HEART OF DARKNESS as a story about slavery, or ANIMAL FARM as an animal adventure.

Martel's story line is already well-known: a fifteen-year-old boy, the son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry, India survives a shipwreck several days out of Manila. He is the lone human survivor, but his lifeboat is occupied by a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, an injured zebra, a hyena, and an orangutan. In relatively short order and true Darwinian fashion, their numbers are reduced to just two: the boy Piscene Molitor Patel, and the tiger, Richard Parker. By dint of his zoo exposure and a fortuitously positioned tarpaulin, Pi (as he is called) manages to establish his own territory on the lifeboat and even gains alpha dominance over Richard Parker. At various points in their 227-day ordeal, Pi and the tiger miss being rescued by an oil tanker, meet up with another shipwreck survivor, and discover an extraordinary algae island before finally reaching safety.

When Pi retells the entire story to two representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Transport searching for the cause of the sinking, they express deep disbelief, so he offers them a second, far more mundane but believable story that parallels the first one. They can choose to believe the more fantastical first one despite its seeming irrationality (Pi is, after all, an irrational number) and its necessary leap of faith, or they can accept the second, far more rational version, more heavily grounded in our everyday experiences.

LIFE OF PI is an allegory, the symbolic expression of a deeper meaning through a tale acted out by humans, animals, and in this case, even plant life. Yann Martel has crafted a magnificently unlikely tale involving zoology and botany, religious experience, and ocean survival skills to explore the meaning of stories in our lives, whether they are inspired by religion to explain the purpose of life or generated by our own psyches as a way to understand and interpret the world around us.

Martel employs a number of religious themes and devices to introduce religion as one of mankind's primary filters for interpreting reality. Pi's active adoption and participation in Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity establish him as a character able to relate his story through the lens of the world's three major religions. Prayer and religious references abound, and his adventures bring to mind such Old Testament scenes as the Garden of Eden, Daniel and the lion's den, the trials of Job, and even Jonah and the whale. Accepting Pi's survival story as true, without supporting evidence, is little different than accepting New Testament stories about Jesus. They are matters of faith, not empiricism.

In the end, however, LIFE OF PI takes a broader view. All people are storytellers, casting their experiences and even their own life events in story form. Martel's message is that all humans use stories to process the reality around them, from the stories that comprise history to those that explain the actions and behaviors of our families and friends. We could never process the chaotic stream of events from everyday life without stories to help us categorize and compartmentalize them. Yet we all choose our own stories to accomplish this - some based on faith and religion, some based on empiricism and science. The approach we choose dictates our interpretation of the world around us.

LIFE OF PI bears a faint resemblance to the movie BIG FISH, also a story about storytelling and how we understand and rationalize our own lives through tales both mundane and tall.Martel's book is structured as a story within a story within a story, planned and executed in precisely 100 chapters as a mathematical counterpoint to the endlessly irrational and nonrepeating value of pi. The book is alternately harrowing and amusing, deeply rational and scientific but wildly mystical and improbable. It is also hugely entertaining and highly readable, as fluid as the water in which Pi floats. Anyone who enjoys literature as a vehicle for contemplating the human condition should find in LIFE OF PI a delicious treat.



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The Lovely Bones: A Novel (Hardcover) Review

Alice Sebold has written a remarkable debut novel.The narrator, Susie Salmon, was raped and murdered in 1973 and now resides in her heaven; yet, her voice contains none of the bitterness one would expect.She is able to see into the lives of those who touched her in life and death. At times wistful - for she will never be able to experience growing up - and others matter-of-fact, Susie witnesses the changes and growth within her family and small circle of friends.Her story is not one about death, but about loss and affirming life in its face, about moving on not only for those she left behind but for herself.The reader won't be able to escape the sadness in these pages - I came close to crying several times - but the overall tone is hardly grim. Because Susie is secure and happy in her heaven, she keeps the story full of light and optimism.
This novel is not flawless, nor should it expected to be.The narrative loses some of its momentum near the end. In addition, Sebold makes the mistake of adding a scene (which I won't describe here) seemingly designed to lessen the reader's regret about Susie's missed coming-of-age, but instead the scene falls flat.Susie's loss is as much a part of this book as her family's is, and to pretend it can be reversed, even if only temporarily, defeats the story.Still, given the first two-thirds of the book, this misstep and others can be forgiven.

The Lovely Bones is one of those books you can pick up and not want to put down again until you finish.At roughly 325 pages, this novel demands to be read on a plane, or on the beach, or when you have good chunks of time available to sit with it. Don't frustrate yourself by allowing a half hour here and there.
This is one book that deserves its spot on the bestseller list.

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The Gryphon: In Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Is Rediscovered [Hardcover] Review

I was first introduced to Nick Bantock's work when I was fifteen.I was given a copy of Griffen and Sabine by a Japanese foriegn exchange teacher.It was brilliant and I read it as soon as I opened it.My sister and I were fans and collected the next two books over the next couple of years. Since then, I have bought a number of copies for friends and was delighted when I learned that Bantock was continuing the story with The Gryphon.The Gryphon picks up exactly where the third book leaves off explaining who the mysterious M is and the connection of Griffen and Sabine to the person in the final post card.Bantock effortlessly slips back into the characters of Griffen and Sabine and introduces us to two new, equally as intriguing, characters.The artwork, as always, is stunning.This book is a treat to read.If you've read the trilogy leading up to this, you must also read The Gryphon.If you haven't you should pick up all four books and devour them slowly!

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I'll See You in the Morning [Board book] Review

I have a slightly different version of this book - it has a picture of a little boy hugging the moon instead of the boy and his mother on the cover. It is a sweet bedtime ritual, with just the right amount of text on each page in a flowing rhyme style that children will soon learn off by heart. I would recommend this book for children 2 - 6 years of age, especially children with fears of the dark or monsters or of just being alone at bedtime. I was very impressed with the cover of this book, there is no dust jacket to get torn and neither is it made of cardboard that would soon get creased with use. The poem ends with the promise of "...and I'll see you in the morning".

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Product Description:
Now available in board bookthis dreamy little book is like a hug and a kiss goodnight. Reassuring and lovingit's sure to become a favorite part of every child's bedtime ritual.

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Carving Realistic Flowers in Wood: Rose, Hibiscus, Morning Glory: Ready-to-Use Patterns, Step-by-Step Projects, Reference Photos (Paperback) Review

This book is a jewel!It is exactly what I was looking for.There are only a few projects, but more than enough to get you started and point you in the right direction.The book is about woodcarving but I will use the information on clay.Awesome find!

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Product Description:
This beginning-to-advanced-level carving book provides three projects designed to teach the carving skills needed to recreate any flower. Starting with a morning glory, this guide offers step-by-step instructions on how to carve and texture the flower and ideas for creating a beautiful finish with paints. Also included are close-up photographs of real flowers showing the variations in bloom, petals, and leaf groupings, as is a detailed examination of the power tools a woodcarver needs to create realistic carvings, including the bits and burs, flexible shaft machines, handpieces, and dust collectors.

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Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon [Box set] (Paperback) Review

When My son was younger these were among his most favorite books.He made sure we saved these so he could pass them on to his little brother to read to him once he is old enough.These are simple chapter books.They range in page count from about 68 to 96 pages I believe so they are relatively quick reads that can be read in a few nights depending upon your child's reading level.This set contains the first four books in the series:

Book #1, DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK

Book #2, THE KNIGHT AT DAWN

Book #3, MUMMIES IN THE MORNING

Book #4, PIRATES PAST NOON

The First, Dinosaurs Before Dawn tells the story of how jack and Annie (the series stars) first find the Magic Tree House and learn how the books can transport them to magical lands and worlds.The first takes them to the Cretaceous period. Through clues and reading the book in hand they learn and discover things about dinosaurs.

In the "Knight at Dawn", jack and Annie are transported back to medieval times.They find a castle and go exploring and find themselves on the run from the castle guards and worry they will never get back to the magic tree house.

"mummies In the Morning" Jack has always been fascinated by and pick up a book that has them traveling back to ancient Egypt.Jack and Annie enter a pyramid and get lost inside.Inside they find the ghost of an Egyptian queen whose been trapped inside the pyramid for ages and Jack and Annie try to set her free.

"Pirates Past Noon"Jack and Annie picture a wonderful beach and are transported to the times of Pirates where they are capture by Captain Bones who is seeking the treasure of Captain Kidd.

These books are geared for kids from the 2nd to the 5th grade I would say.They are entertaining, imaginative reads that help teach kids about history while being fun to read as well.Some have commented that the writing, technically speaking is weak.That may be in some spots but I feel this is mostly intentional as they are writing for 6 - 10 year olds.

These books are really a joy to read and I loved reading them along with my son.I'm glad we saved them!

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Product Description:
Ten years ago, Jack and Annie found a Magic Tree House in the woods and the world of reading was changed forever. Millions of letters later (from children, parents, and teachers around the world!)the exciting and inspiring four books are available together in a keepsake-worthy boxed set. The perfect gift to encourage a struggling new reader or remind old fans of the way they first discovered the magic of books.

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Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles, Book 2) (Paperback) Review

Lori Wick certainly is one of my favorite Christian/Romance writers, coming up to a close second to Dee Henderson. And probably my favorite books from Lori Wick are the Kensington Chronicles.
"Wings of the Morning" is about young Victoria "Smokey" Simmons, captain of one of the fastest ship of the Atlantic, the 'Aramis'. When her father, the famous Clancy, had died and left her alone in the world, she asks God to give her strength. Three years have passed and Smokey begins dreaming of life away from the sea. She wants to have a home and raise a family. When she meets another sea captain, Dallas Knight, she believes that her dreams can finally come true. Dallas, also hopelessly in love with her, shares her dreams. But when a scheming and evil pirate comes into their lives, Smokey and Dallas' hopes for the future may come to an end. Will they have the strength to overcome these painful events and to trust themselves into their Father in heaven?
A truly marvelous tale taking place in the mid-1800s, "Wings of the Morning" will have you swept into a world of romance and suspense. I love the wonderful characters of Smokey, who is young and shy yet has great spirit, and Dallas, who will do anything to protect her. They are so real that it is very hard not to like them and to hope they have their dreams fulfilled.
The other three books of the Kensington Chronicles are "The Hawk and the Jewel", "Who Brings Forth the Wind", and "The Knight and the Dove", all of them filled with romance and suspense, plus they all are about people who love and honor their God. My suggestion to you is that if you have never read any of Lori Wick's books, you should start with these four books.
And if you are looking for other terrific Christian/Romance books, I recommend all books by Dee Henderson, including the O'Malley Series, "Danger in the Shadows", and the Uncommon Heroes Series. But be ready for suspense, intrigue, and mystery, because these books are filled with them!

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Product Description:

Victoria"Smokey" Simmons stands silently on deck as her father's body is lowered intothe Atlantic, asking God for the strength she will needto command the Aramisalone. Not wanting to remain at sea forever, Smokey dreams of the time when shecan trade her life aboard ship for a home and family. When she meets anothercaptain, Dallas Knight,Smokey believes her dream will finally come true. Butcircumstances beyond their control and the schemes of a cunning pirate threatento destroy this young couple's hope for the future. Wings of the Morningcarries readers on a tender journey of love in which painful events becomelasting blessings in the Father's care.



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A Case of Bad Taste (A Morning Shade Mystery #1) (Paperback) Review

Maude Diamond is a struggling novelist who has never made the best seller list. She has recently lost her husband and has a serious case of writer's block. Her elderly mother-in-law moves in with her, followed by her daughter, reeling from a disastrous marriage. So life is looking pretty bleak with nothing to pique Maude's interest until--
Well, you'd never guess. A mysterious burglar is knocking over homes in the little town of Morning Shade, Arkansas--a burglar who never steals anything, but comes in to rearrange the furniture and redecorate. Who could it be? And why is he (or she) doing this?
It is a pretty far-fetched plot, to be sure, and it takes a while for author Copeland to hit her stride. I wasn't sure I could finish this book, but I'm glad I did. It gradually draws you in to the warm-hearted ambience of the little town and its quirky characters. The story takes off and I found myself enjoying it in spite of myself.
Bad Taste is not great literature. The plot is absurd, the dialogue is awkward, the characters are all too quirky and lovable. More serious, the author is not subtle about her Christian faith, and sometimes comes perilously close to preaching. Still, the book was fun and easy to read and I enjoyed it for what it is. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

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Product Description:
Frustrated author M. K. Diamond is suffering from another bout of writer's block when the perfect plot unfolds in real life: a burglar in Morning Shade is breaking into homes and redecorating, of all things! If only Maude can keep her feisty mother-in-law, Stella, on the case before the trail grows cold and her manuscript freezes up again.

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Bright Shiny Morning (P.S.) [Paperback] Review

I was the first to get the book from my local Barnes and Nobles and I know this because they told me this--I read a lot.I read Austen and Bronte.I read Hemingway and Faulkner.I read Mailer and Vidal.I read I read I read.You'll have to trust me when I say that I consider myself a literate person, a published writer, and a harsh and unbearable critic--of self and others--and I haven't read all of Bright Shiny Morning yet.I have read four hundred and ten pages of it.With the negative reviews that are to follow, I figured a partial review on my favorite place to buy books online would be appropriate to thin out what will surely be many an unjust review.Let's put aside that he's an embellisher in his memoirs (I could care less).Let's focus solely on the novel at hand.Let's start with the negatives.

Two Teens runaway from home to start a life together.(Cliche)
A blockbuster actor married to a beautiful woman is really gay.(Cliche)
A spanish nanny with a deformity who starts a relationships with the son of a client.(Cliche)
A homeless man who befriends a runaway.(Most assuredly cliche)
The writing is shoddily punctuated, annoyingly incomplete, and choppy.(You look and have to make sure you read it right).
The language is rough. (Constant swearing, difficult to read material)
The vignette excursions are sometimes annoying, sometimes interesting, sometimes boring, sometimes a miss, and sometimes a hit.(Some worked in the book, other's probably could've been left out).

Now I'll tell you why none of these negatives matter.

The cliche story lines could kill a book if not so beautifully put together that you become engrossed in the characters--the characters become the originals in a story that's been told a thousand times.
The writing is all his own. It's reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.It flares with an immediacy not seen in books anymore--or rarely seen in books anymore.The excursions from the story are necessary because without them, you don't get the major character, which is, LA.LA rings as the focal character, a land and place all its own that rings true to the world around us, the focal point for the American dream, the focal point for hope and decadance, the focal point for stardom and fame, the focal point for what drives American's home lives to the television each day, the focal point for these characters existence, the focal point for life in a sense.

I ask, and I hope, my only hope, that you who are angry at James Frey, let it go, and don't try and crush the book simply because you feel lied to.A believable lie, after all, is what good fiction is made out of, for if he could suspend disbelief well enough for us to believe everything in his memoir's (that he didn't even want to call memoirs, mind you, it's labeled, Memoir/Literature), he certainly suspends disbelief in bringing to life the characters.You will feel their pain and their defeats, their victories and their happines, at least to where I've read to.I don't know about the rest of the book... but he's never been one for the crapped out ending, so I'm quite sure. Buy it, you'll love it.If you don't buy it and you don't read it, then just don't write a review, for a review is not how you feel about the author, it's how you feel about the work he put out into the world, so be mature, grow up, and read a good book from a unique and new voice in the world of literature.

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