Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Ever heard of someone named after err – not a historical figure, not an incarnation of God, not a renowned poet, not even a human being, but a swimming pool? Meet the protagonist of ‘Life of Pi’ – Piscine Molitor Patel, named by his swimming enthusiast uncle after a famous swimming pool in Paris. If you find this weird, let me warn you - the name of the protagonist of this book is one of the relatively less weird things about the story.
Although ‘Life of Pi’ is a fiction novel, it is narrated in a non-fiction, anecdotal format. The Canadian author who is in India on a grant to find a story for his third book, after a lukewarm response to his second book, chances upon a stranger in a coffee house in Pondicherry who promises to tell a story that will make him believe in God. And thus begins the story of Piscine Molitor Patel.
Pi Patel, born to a family in south India has spent most of his childhood in Pondicherry, where his father owns a large zoo. For a good part of his chil...