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The Book that Changed Everything
Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 12:38AM I haven't done a Sunday Scribblings in a while but every once in a while it's nice to return to such a great writing prompt and get some footing back where I started again.
So this Sunday's prompt is #206 - 'The book that changed every thing for you - is that even possible and if so what book was it?'
well I'm an avid reader and a book that changed a lot for me was The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.
I don't consider myself religious at all, I do consider myself spiritual and I do consider myself somewhat of a pantheist in my seeing of God as one with Nature. But up until this book, I had really struggled with justifying or explaining my deflecting and resistance to abide by any ONE way or religion.
As a passionate animal lover this book played an intensely powerful role in my spiritual awakening. I have found the best way to surmise my spiritual feelings is that I see the face of God in animals and in nature. Though that in no way surmises the book. In this book we follow a young Indian boy, named Pi Patel who is a zoo owners' son and his journey through survival.
We also follow him as he becomes emersed in different religions simply educating himself on each and when challenged on how he had to choose one and how could he have acted in such a deceitful and unfaithful manner he anwers, "I was just trying to love God."
That part of the story was an 'aha' moment for me.>"He was too far. But the sight of the lifebuoy flying his way gave him hope. He revived and started beating the water with vigorous, desperate strokes."
I found this amazing interactive (you can play with your keyboard) computer animated promo for the book at Hoss Gifford, Life of Pi Interactive Promo, that I HIGHLY recommend to my readers!!!
In addition, there are tons (not so good) Youtube video dramatizations and animations based on the book, but I rather enjoyed this one, (though the music gets a bit loud...) that I embedded here:
I also found this incredible image through my travels on the Blogosphere at a site called Worth1000 which to my understanding hosts Photoshop contests. If you click on the link you'll have to scroll down to see the Life of Pi image, that I'm writing about here, but you'll also see in on the top header. Thanks form a tip from fellow blogger Paisley, Worth 1000 doesn't like anyone to use their images without permission (even with credit and a link back- which as an artist I guess I understand). Which is why you don't see the image I am talking about here. The only info that I could find about the artist was the name melian1224. This image is amazing and is worth you clicking and looking for!! This is the artist's quote:
"After the sinking of a cargo ship, a single solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the surface of the wild, blue Pacific. The crew of the surviving vessel consists of a hyena, and orangutan, a zebra with a broken leg, a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger, and Pi Patel, a young Indian boy. This is one of my favorite books, one which I just had to bring to life, I hope I have done it justice!"
http://sundayscribblings.blogspot.com/
Books, Sunday Scribblings, The Life of Pi
Reader Comments (8)
'The Life of Pi' amazed me because I'm irreligious and not into fantasy and I'm not even an animal lover, but it hooked me from the first page. And I never understood why.
Hi
I too loved the book yet I was amazed to learn that some people I know did not like it at all. His first book was amazing as well-esp. for it's
inventiveness.
Thank-you- I will check out the interactive.
Aren't books great?
Enjoyed this considerably – thank you for sharing…
…rob
Image & Verse
my mother has read this book and really enjoyed it - she and my dad took my niece to see a play of the book... I think it might be time I caught up and read it!
Great post! I know of this book but have never read. But your post has inspired me to do so.
thanks for writing about this book! i have heard of it but never knew what it was about and am thoroughly interested now!! i also have similar ideas on spirituality/god.. pantheism. i also took a spiritual take on this prompt! love your artist btw. i'll have to come back here!!
I absolutely devoured this book when I read it. I really must read it again for all those deeper meanings that I missed the first time. Thank you for the reminder.
b
hi Amaretto! it's been too long since I visited! You certainly did the book justice.. Although I haven't read it, I remember my eldest son telling me about it and how much it inspired him as well.. After reading your wonderful post.. I am going to borrow it from him.
hope all is well in your corner of the world.. xo lucy