Life of Pi

By: Yann Martel

Narrated by: Vikas Adam

"Vikas Adam is the perfect narrator for this incredible novel. He delivers its lyrical style with energy and complete believability.... Definitely not a Disney movie, this is a realistic, heart-thumping account, which Adam delivers with verve, intelligence, and sensitivity. More than a fable, often humorous, always compelling, this tale is infused with the wonder of a teenage boy who finds himself in an unimaginable situation for 227 days. Must listening! Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2019 Audies Finalist." (AudioFile magazine)

Winner of the 2002 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

Pi Patel is an unusual boy. The son of a zookeeper, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories and practices not only his native Hinduism but also Christianity and Islam. When Pi is 16, 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 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?

Life of Pi is at once a realistic, rousing adventure and a meta-tale of survival that explores the redemptive power of storytelling and the transformative nature of fiction. It's a story, as one character puts it, to make you believe in God.

Cover design by Vaugh Andrews. Cover illustration by Andy Bridge.

An Audible for Dogs Pick: Make your dog's day. Cesar Millan shares how audiobooks can make dogs happier and calmer. Learn more.©2001 Yann Martel (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Wonderfully read and gripping story...

Sometimes funny, insightful, retrospective. Other times graphic, violent, and depressing... But that is the story of many peoples lives I guess.

As an adventure/survival story its fanciful and overly dramatic, but as an allegory, it is a wonderful examination of how we view our own situation in life, our story, and what part, if any God plays...

Heartbreaking, Funny, Spiritual, Effecting

The turns and twists in the narration, and the story-line, are incredible... sad, funny, heart-wrenching, delightful, spiritually uplifting, soul-rending. It's an amazing story, told with a frank, honest, linguistically enchanting voice.

Amazing storyline

Both book and movie are my favorite. Literally in tears at the end like always.

Better than the movie

The book was well read, and story telling very authentic. I had seen the movie prior to listening to the book and I'm glad I did it in that order, the book is better than the movie. It's not that the movie is not good because it is, as usual the details conveyed in the book are so much better. Although a longer listen it's absolutely worth it.

Loved It

OMG the ending was most definitely worth the read. The voices for the characters is very realistic and I enjoyed this book very much.

A very good good book but deeper than I thought

The book and movie are similar but the book goes to some deep places. Story was good and reader was very good.

Reread dozens of times

This book is really something. The narrator is definitely passionate and has interesting voices for each different character. It can be a bit much so I usually have to listen to the story with headphones. The tale is incredibly endearing, adventurous, at times horrifying, and over all superbly enjoyable. I love this book most for its ability to tie together seemingly separate subjects (religion, zoology, and life as a castaway) and for reflecting on human and animal nature.

Most unusual & entertaining

It seems to start out slow, but then really catches your interest to end. There are many things I enjoyed about his book, but the 1st was how he participated in so many religions because he wanted to know and love God in every form. The other was his interactions with the tiger. was a very good read.

absolutely spellbinding

Stunning!!! Beautiful use of language. very thought provoking. Very well performed. Will listen to many times.

Life of pi

It is a good book but the begging is a little weird and there are some not so good words in it