Our special today is homemade Pi with a side of cat poo
For some odd reason or another I could not get myself to fall asleep last night. As a result, I found myself devouring (heh heh pun) Life of Pi at three in the morning in the bleak hope of getting it over and done with. And now, inspired by olde_fashioned, here are some senseless ramblings and musings otherwise known as a book review.
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
THE CULINARY DELIGHTS
-Vivid description and superb mastery of words that really makes you feel as if you're on the endless boat ride from hell alongside Pi and his kitty.
-Encouraged both a craving for spinach and a longing for a meerkat friend… one who would snuggle up in your arm and make dramatic-chipmunk-like faces.
-Gives very useful advice. For example, I now know how to tame a rabid wildebeest next time I find one as my shipmate on a boat ride from hell.
-Brilliantly accurate portrayal of the French. Also taught me the valuable lesson: never hug a cannibalistic Frenchman.
-Offers ingenious new Lost conspiracy theory! Carnivorous algae? "Others" nothing more than an oversexed population of friendly meerkats? Hmm!
-Tigers make very talented hoop jumpers.
-Inspires the reader to drink his daily 64 ounces of water (or turtle blood, if applicable) for a happy and healthy digestive tract.
-Bananas really do float!
THE REFRIGERATOR MYSTERY MEAT
-Vivid description and superb mastery of words that really makes you feel as if you're on the endless boat ride from hell alongside Pi and his kitty.
-Unnecessary detailing of bodily functions
-Unnecessary detailing of heartless animal brutality. In my opinion, starvation (or cannibalism) should always prevail over carnivorism. Maybe it would have ended the story faster. Or better yet, killed it altogether.
-Orange Juice :(
-Zebra :(
-Meerkat :(
-Turtle :(
-I am now well versed in religions of which I care very little and moved the plot not at all. Though, I suppose in the grand scheme of things it played an important role in the overall message of the story but still.
-Japanese men, sadly, do not have a limitless supply of cookies, and are furthermore rather stingy about sharing.
-I never could figure out what that stupid boat looked like.
-The author, though clearly talented, intelligent, creative, etc., lapses into moments of literary vanity with 1-liners of wit and wisdom clearly accompanied by the smirked thought, "NY Times Best Seller, here I come."
BEST DISH FOR MY LITERARY PALLETE
It's tough to beat out the snuggly meerkats that like to burrow in awkward places, not to mention the Japanese officials who clearly deserve a hug. But I must say the conversation with the Frenchman is just the right cup of crazy for my tastes.
"If you're not happy with this figment of your fancy, pick another one. There are plenty of fancies to pick from."
Hmmm. Figment. Fig-ment. Wouldn't a fig be good?
"I don't have just one fig. I have a whole figment."
"Once upon a time there was a banana and it grew. It grew until it was large, firm, yellow, and fragrant. Then it fell to the ground and someone came upon it and ate it."
"What a beautiful story!"
"Thank you."
"I have tears in my eyes."
"I have another element," I said.
"What is it?"
"The banana fell to the ground and someone came upon it and ate it- and afterwards that person felt better."
"It takes my breath away!"
(We're talking Pulitzer Prize right there)
"Describe this boot to me, then! What kind of pitiful salesman are you? No wonder you're starved for customers."
PUN!!!
THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
All in all, this book was actually an enjoyable read. Aside from the fact that India, survival tales, boats, shipwrecks, heartless animal killing, etc. interest me not at all, the book did have all the elements that make up a good read. Do I want to beat the thing to death in 12th Grade English (British Literature, not Spanish-Canadian, I might add)? No. But I must give the writer props and say that, in the end, it was a fine read.
"The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?"
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
THE CULINARY DELIGHTS
-Vivid description and superb mastery of words that really makes you feel as if you're on the endless boat ride from hell alongside Pi and his kitty.
-Encouraged both a craving for spinach and a longing for a meerkat friend… one who would snuggle up in your arm and make dramatic-chipmunk-like faces.
-Gives very useful advice. For example, I now know how to tame a rabid wildebeest next time I find one as my shipmate on a boat ride from hell.
-Brilliantly accurate portrayal of the French. Also taught me the valuable lesson: never hug a cannibalistic Frenchman.
-Offers ingenious new Lost conspiracy theory! Carnivorous algae? "Others" nothing more than an oversexed population of friendly meerkats? Hmm!
-Tigers make very talented hoop jumpers.
-Inspires the reader to drink his daily 64 ounces of water (or turtle blood, if applicable) for a happy and healthy digestive tract.
-Bananas really do float!
THE REFRIGERATOR MYSTERY MEAT
-Vivid description and superb mastery of words that really makes you feel as if you're on the endless boat ride from hell alongside Pi and his kitty.
-Unnecessary detailing of bodily functions
-Unnecessary detailing of heartless animal brutality. In my opinion, starvation (or cannibalism) should always prevail over carnivorism. Maybe it would have ended the story faster. Or better yet, killed it altogether.
-Orange Juice :(
-Zebra :(
-Meerkat :(
-Turtle :(
-I am now well versed in religions of which I care very little and moved the plot not at all. Though, I suppose in the grand scheme of things it played an important role in the overall message of the story but still.
-Japanese men, sadly, do not have a limitless supply of cookies, and are furthermore rather stingy about sharing.
-I never could figure out what that stupid boat looked like.
-The author, though clearly talented, intelligent, creative, etc., lapses into moments of literary vanity with 1-liners of wit and wisdom clearly accompanied by the smirked thought, "NY Times Best Seller, here I come."
BEST DISH FOR MY LITERARY PALLETE
It's tough to beat out the snuggly meerkats that like to burrow in awkward places, not to mention the Japanese officials who clearly deserve a hug. But I must say the conversation with the Frenchman is just the right cup of crazy for my tastes.
"If you're not happy with this figment of your fancy, pick another one. There are plenty of fancies to pick from."
Hmmm. Figment. Fig-ment. Wouldn't a fig be good?
"I don't have just one fig. I have a whole figment."
"Once upon a time there was a banana and it grew. It grew until it was large, firm, yellow, and fragrant. Then it fell to the ground and someone came upon it and ate it."
"What a beautiful story!"
"Thank you."
"I have tears in my eyes."
"I have another element," I said.
"What is it?"
"The banana fell to the ground and someone came upon it and ate it- and afterwards that person felt better."
"It takes my breath away!"
(We're talking Pulitzer Prize right there)
"Describe this boot to me, then! What kind of pitiful salesman are you? No wonder you're starved for customers."
PUN!!!
THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
All in all, this book was actually an enjoyable read. Aside from the fact that India, survival tales, boats, shipwrecks, heartless animal killing, etc. interest me not at all, the book did have all the elements that make up a good read. Do I want to beat the thing to death in 12th Grade English (British Literature, not Spanish-Canadian, I might add)? No. But I must give the writer props and say that, in the end, it was a fine read.
"The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?"