The Life of Pi Revisited

Sometimes time just flies doesn't it!  I was looking back over my blog and realized that I had  written a review about The Life of Pi way back in 2009.  That's about 4 years ago folks! I've even linked it here for you if you're super curious about what I was thinking back in the day.

Flash forward to the present I find that the opening critique rings true for not only the book but the recently released Oscar winning film The Life of Pi

I am usually skeptical when all the book reviews for a particular book are glowing. But the Life of Pi deserves all the positive recognition it has received. Yan Martel effortlessly carries his readers along the waves of a story about man vs. nature through magical realism.

Prior to seeing the film in the theater I was skeptical that it would live up to my imagination.  I was skeptical it would live up to the author's creative play with man vs. nature & self through magical realism.  Could it live up to it's own psychological build up?

In one word I would say yes - but there is a small caveat.  Unless you read the book you weren't sure what had happened when you got to the end of the film.


Spoiler Alert:  I had to explain to friends and family that the animals in the film could either have really been present in Pi's journey to civilization or that they represented his family and the crew who did not survive the boat's crash.  Both were possible - one was preferred - one might have actually happened. This part was left in the book to the reader and in the film was supposed to be.



Skip here if you don't want to know the ending: I saw the film in 3D and really thought it brought out the beauty of the book and the images the author had painted in my imagination.  I jumped when animals were dangerous and melted into the waters when people swam. 



The book the Life of Pi does a wonderful job of being ecumenical: bringing together Muslim, Christian, and Hindu traditions and the film touches on this.  I wish it would have delved deeper into these waters especially in light of current suspicions against those who are different than us in religious belief, ethnic decent, and racial background. 

If you haven't seen the film or read the book I would recommend both!  

Flag Ship Bookstores

Local Bookstores have become a somewhat niche effort haven't they.  It has been strange to watch these past couple of years how large box bookstores have closed or have changed their bent.  Walking into Barnes and Nobles now is more of an adventure for my Nook as opposed to flipping through actual books. 

As someone who currently lives in Dallas it's been interesting to walk into the flagship Half Price Book Store and see what that's all about.  It's a large store, across the street from Barnes and Nobles, filled to the gills with used books (of every genre), records, dvds, vhs tapes, cds, and any other media you can think of. 

I don't even have to drag my husband anymore - because he meanders over to the music section happy as a clam.  No words need to transpire.

I'm glad stores like this still exist because well not everything is digital (especially the books I seem to go after) and it's not the same having the books delivered to my door by Amazon prime - although I feel like I have more of a relationship when it comes from one of Abe Books small bookshop vendors.

What are your thoughts? Do you miss bookstores like Half Price Books, etc?