Best Selling Books by Yann Martel

Sixteen-year-old Pi Patel is stranded in a lifeboat on the Pacific Ocean with only a 450-pound Bengal tiger for company, and must learn to survive both tiger and ocean.

After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, one solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra with a broken leg, a female orang-utan - and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Since it was first published in 2002, Life of Pi has entered mainstream consciousness and remains one of the most extraordinary works of fiction in recent years. In October 2005 Canongate launched a competition with The Times to find an artist to illustrate Yann Martel''s international bestseller. Soon the competition expanded as the Globe and Mail and The Age newspapers also launched a search in Canada and Australia. From thousands of entries, Croatian artist Tomislav Torjanac was chosen as the illustrator for this new edition of Life of Pi. Now readers can enjoy this extraordinary tale with his glorious colour illustrations.

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, 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 while 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?

A modern-day Orlando—edgy, funny and startlingly honest—Self is the fictional autobiography of a young writer and traveller who finds his gender changed overnight.

Yann Martel’s astonishing novel begins with a successful writer attempting to publish his latest book, made up of a novel and an essay. Henry plans for it to be a “flip book” that the reader can start at either end, reading the novel or the essay first, because both pieces are equally concerned with representations of the Holocaust. Faced with severe and categorical rejection, Henry gives up hope. He abandons writing, moves with his wife to a foreign city, joins a community theatre, becomes a waiter in a chocolatería. But then he receives a package containing a scene from a play, photocopies from a short story by Flaubert—about a man who hunts animals down relentlessly—and a short note: “I need your help.” Intrigued, Henry tracks down his correspondent, and finds himself in a strange part of the city, walking past a stuffed okapi into a taxidermist’s workshop. The taxidermist—also named Henry—says he has been working on his play, A 20th-Century Shirt, for most of his life, but now he needs Henry’s help to describe his characters: the play’s protagonists are a stuffed donkey and a howler monkey named Beatrice and Virgil, respectively, and Henry’s successful book was in part about animals. And though his new acquaintance is austere, abrupt and almost unearthly, Henry the writer is drawn more and more deeply into Henry the taxidermist’s uncompromising world. Beatrice & Virgil gradually grows into something more, a shattering and ultimately transfixing work that asks searching questions about the nature of our understanding of history, the meaning of suffering and the value of art. As we are drawn deeper into their disturbing moral fable, the relationship between the two faltering writers named Henry becomes more and more complex until it can only be resolved in an explosive, unexpected catastrophe.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Fifteen years after The Life of Pi, Yann Martel is taking us on another long journey. Fans of his Man Booker Prize–winning novel will recognize familiar themes from that seafaring phenomenon, but the itinerary in this imaginative new book is entirely fresh. . . . Martel’s writing has never been more charming.”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR In Lisbon in 1904, a young man named Tomás discovers an old journal. It hints at the existence of an extraordinary artifact that—if he can find it—would redefine history. Traveling in one of Europe’s earliest automobiles, he sets out in search of this strange treasure. Thirty-five years later, a Portuguese pathologist devoted to the murder mysteries of Agatha Christie finds himself at the center of a mystery of his own and drawn into the consequences of Tomás’s quest. Fifty years on, a Canadian senator takes refuge in his ancestral village in northern Portugal, grieving the loss of his beloved wife. But he arrives with an unusual companion: a chimpanzee. And there the century-old quest will come to an unexpected conclusion. The High Mountains of Portugal—part quest, part ghost story, part contemporary fable—offers a haunting exploration of great love and great loss. Filled with tenderness, humor, and endless surprise, it takes the reader on a road trip through Portugal in the last century—and through the human soul. Praise for The High Mountains of Portugal “Just as ambitious, just as clever, just as existential and spiritual [as Life of Pi] . . . a book that rewards your attention . . . an excellent book club choice.”—San Francisco Chronicle “There’s no denying the simple pleasures to be had in The High Mountains of Portugal.”—Chicago Tribune “Charming . . . Most Martellian is the boundless capacity for parable. . . . Martel knows his strengths: passages about the chimpanzee and his owner brim irresistibly with affection and attentiveness.”—The New Yorker “A rich and rewarding experience . . . [Martel] spins his magic thread of hope and despair, comedy and pathos.”—USA Today “I took away indelible images from High Mountains, enchanting and disturbing at the same time. . . . As whimsical as Martel’s magic realism can be, grief informs every step of the book’s three journeys. In the course of the novel we burrow ever further into the heart of an ape, pure and threatening at once, our precursor, ourselves.”—NPR “Refreshing, surprising and filled with sparkling moments of humor and insight.”—The Dallas Morning News “We’re fortunate to have brilliant writers using their fiction to meditate on a paradox we need urgently to consider—the unbridgeable gap and the unbreakable bond between human and animal, our impossible self-alienation from our world.”—Ursula K. Le Guin, The Guardian “[Martel packs] his inventive novel with beguiling ideas. What connects an inept curator to a haunted pathologist to a smitten politician across more than seventy-five years is the author’s ability to conjure up something uncanny at the end.”—The Boston Globe “A fine home, and story, in which to find oneself.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

Written earlier in Martel''s career, these four unforgettable tales are as moving as they are thought-provoking, as inventive in form as they are timeless.

The appearance of a young storyteller with a unique voice is cause for celebration. This memorable debut from Booker prize winner Martel, originally published in 1993, was hailed for its power and elegance on both sides of the Atlantic. Dealing with such themes as storytelling and illness, war and music, death and bureaucracy, science and sex, these tales are moving and thought-provoking, as inventive in form as they are timeless in content. They display that startling mix of dazzle and depth that have made Yann Martel an international phenomenon. This edition features three of the stories from the original edition, including the remarkable novella The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, which won the prestigious Journey Prize, as well as three stories never before published in Britain. As a collection it looks set to further Martel''s reputation as one of the most interesting writers working in the world today.

“I know you’re very busy, Mr. Harper. We’re all busy. But every person has a space next to where they sleep, whether a patch of pavement or a fine bedside table. In that space, at night, a book can glow. And in those moments of docile wakefulness, when we begin to let go of the day, then is the perfect time to pick up a book and be someone else, somewhere else, for a few minutes, a few pages, before we fall asleep.” From the author of Life of Pi comes a literary correspondence—recommendations to Canada’s Prime Minister of great short books that will inspire and delight book lovers and book club readers across our nation. Every two weeks since April 16th, 2007, Yann Martel has mailed Stephen Harper a book along with a letter. These insightful, provocative letters detailing what he hopes the Prime Minister may take from the books—by such writers as Jane Austen, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Stephen Galloway—are collected here together. The one-sided correspondence (Mr. Harper’s office has only replied once) becomes a meditation on reading and writing and the necessity to allow ourselves to expand stillness in our lives, even if we’re not head of government.

A compendium of 101 book recommendations from Booker Prize–winning author Yann Martel (Life of Pi) to Prime Minister Stephen Harper—each with an accompanying letter, together probing the question: what sort of mind, nourished by what, do we want our leaders to have? Politely and unfailingly, every two weeks for almost four years, Yann Martel sent Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper a book and accompanying letter. He completed the project in 2011 with 101 book recommendations. Now, from the mailbox of the Prime Minister’s Office to your bookshelf comes a list of essential reading for all Canadians. This largely one-sided correspondence from the “loneliest book club in the world” (Stephen Harper never personally responded to Yann Martel’s gifts) is a valuable compendium for bibliophiles and those who follow the Canadian political scene. Smart, subversive, signed, sealed, and now available to you . . . even if your address is not 80 Wellington Street.

Un «art de la fiction» exemplaire, qui consiste dans le cas présent à raconter une histoire dans ses moindres détails et à lui insuffler la vie. (Christian Desmeules, Le Devoir)_x000D_ _x000D_ Life of Pi est un livre formidable: frais, original, intelligent, habile et bourré de fascinantes connaissances. (Margaret Atwood, The Sunday Times (Londres)_x000D_ _x000D_ Life of Pi est une véritable aventure: brutale, tendre, expressive, dramatique et, de façon désarmante, drôle. (San Francisco Chronicle) _x000D_ _x000D_ Life of Pi pourrait renouveler votre foi dans l’habileté des romanciers à insuffler, dans le scénario le plus extravagant, une vie plausible. (The New York Times Review of Books) _x000D_ _x000D_ Si ce siècle doit produire un classique de la littérature de survie, Martel est sûrement un candidat. (The Nation) _x000D_ _x000D_ Peut-être que Life of Pi ne vous fera pas croire en Dieu, mais il vous fera croire en la littérature. (The San Diego Union Tribune)

Pi Pattel es un joven que vive en India, su padre es el propietario y encargado del zoologico de la ciudad pero deciden emigrar a Canada y procurarse una vida mejor con la venta de los animales. Tras complejos tramites, la familia Pattel inicia una travesia que se vera truncada por la tragedia: una terrible tormenta hace naufragar el barco donde viajaban. Pi tendra que echar mano del ingenio para sobrevivir mientras los animales se ocupan de ocupar puesto en la cadena de alimentacion y, a la postre, tendra que defender su liderazgo frente al unico que, previsiblemente, quedara vivo, un tigre. El joven intentara domar a la fiera, demostrar quien es el macho alfa y, de este modo, sobrevivir.

På Stilla havets oändliga, blå och solglittrande yta guppar en ensam livbåt. Ombord finns en hyena, en orangutang, en drygt tvåhundra kilo tung bengalisk tiger - och så Pi, en sextonårig indisk pojke. De är de enda överlevande efter nattens oväder då fartyget de reste med förliste och försvann ner i djupet. Det här är Pis berättelse om ändlösa dagar och nätter till havs. En berättelse fylld av äventyr och spänning, hopp och förtvivlan, triumfer och grymma nederlag. En berättelse om hur en resa som slutar i en tragedi blir början på en annan resa; en fantastisk och omstörtande färd över ett världshav men också genom en människas inre och det universum av livsfrågor hon bär inom sig. En berättelse om livet självt.

Un escenari blau: el Pacífic.Una taca blanca: un bot.Dins, un petit món.La Història de Pi és l''aventura d''un noi indi de 16 anys que es va passar 227 dies en una barca salvavides amb l''única companyia d''un tigre de Bengala. El viatge, la supervivència i la peculiar relació que s''estableix entre l''home i l''animal dibuixen un relat màgic. Yann Martel ens ofereix una faula sobre la dependència, la llibertat, la fe i l''instint. Un relat encisador que ens submergeix en una aventura fantàstica però creïble.

Schiffbruch mit Tiger? Diese Geschichte würden Sie nicht glauben? Kein Wunder. Fantastisch. Verwegen. Atemberaubend. Wahnsinnig komisch. Eine Geschichte, die Sie an Gott glauben lässt. Pi Patel, der Sohn eines indischen Zoobesitzers und praktizierender Hindu, Christ und Muslim erleidet mit einer Hyäne, einem Orang-Utan, einem verletzten Zebra und einem 450 Pfund schweren bengalischen Tiger namens Richard Parker Schiffbruch. Bald hat der Tiger alle erledigt - alle, außer Pi. Alleine treiben sie in einem Rettungsboot auf dem Ozean. Eine wundersame, abenteuerliche Odyssee beginnt. ››Martel schreibt wie ein leidenschaftlicher Paul Auster.‹‹ Times Literary Supplement ››Eine Reminiszenz an Italo Calvino.‹‹ Independent on Sunday

Il naufragio di un ragazzo e quattro insoliti compagni di viaggio si trasforma in un''avventura straordinaria, sospesa tra realtà e magia. Acclamato come un nuovo classico dalla critica, Vita di Pi è un libro unico, miracolosamente sospeso tra realismo e magia, un po'' romanzo d''avventura e un po'' favola surreale dall''inattesa anima nera.

Traditional Chinese edition of Life of Pi by Yann Martel. In Traditional Chinese. Annotation copyright Tsai Fong Books, Inc. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

Yann Martel, de succesauteur van Het leven van Pi, bewijst zich met De hoge bergen van Portugal andermaal als een magische meesterverteller. In deze grootse roman verweeft Martel met bravoure de levens van drie mensen die op het eerste gezicht niets met elkaar te maken hebben: de jonge Tomás, een archivaris; Eusebio Lozora, een patholoog; en de Canadese senator Peter Tovy. Wanneer Tomás aan het begin van de twintigste eeuw in de archieven van Lissabon een oud dagboek onder ogen krijgt waarin een geheimzinnig artefact wordt beschreven dat de kerk voor altijd op zijn kop zal zetten, vertrekt hij naar de hoge bergen van Portugal om het te op te sporen. Vijfendertig jaar later raakt een patholoog, die een groot liefhebber is van de moordmysteries van Agatha Christie, betrokken bij de gevolgen van Tomás’ zoektocht. Een halve eeuw later redt senator Peter Tovy, niet lang na het overlijden van zijn vrouw, een chimpansee uit een onderzoeksinstelling in Oklahoma. Wanneer hij besluit zich samen met het dier te vestigen in zijn geboortedorp in het noorden van Portugal, blijkt hoezeer de levens van deze drie mannen met elkaar verbonden zijn. De hoge bergen van Portugal is zowel een fascinerende zoektocht als een magisch-realistische vertelling over de raadselen van het bestaan, waarin diepe liefde en groot verlies hand in hand gaan. Deze gevoelige, humoristische en vooral telkens verrassende roman neemt de lezer mee op een reis die niet alleen naar de binnenlanden van Portugal voert, maar vooral naar de bronnen van de menselijke ziel. Yann Martel (1963) is de bestsellerauteur van Het leven van Pi (2001), waarmee hij onder meer de Man Booker Prize won. Wereldwijd werden er meer dan 12 miljoen exemplaren van verkocht en het stond meer dan een jaar op de bestsellerlijst van The New York Times. Martel woont in Saskatoon, Canada, met zijn vrouw en hun vier kinderen. Over Het leven van Pi: ‘Het leven van Pi is een fantastisch boek. Het is levendig, origineel, slim, geraffineerd en vol liefde.’ MARGARET ATWOOD ‘In Het leven van Pi toont Martel de kwaliteiten van een vindingrijke en fenomenale meesterverteller.’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ‘Het leven van Pi laat ons geloven in de verbeeldingskracht van de literatuur, in de noodzaak van het betere verhaal.’ NRC HANDELSBLAD

Het leven van Pi vertelt het ongelooflijke verhaal van Piscine Patel (Pi), een zestienjarige Indiase jongen wiens vader een dierentuin in India heeft. Wanneer de familie besluit het land te verlaten, wordt de hele dierentuin ingescheept. Maar het schip vergaat en de enige overlevenden op de reddingssloep zijn Pi, een hyena, een zebra met een gebroken been en een tijger van 200 kilo. 227 dagen dobbert de sloep over de Grote Oceaan het decor voor een buitengewoon fantasierijke roman. ‘Dit verhaal doet je in God geloven,’ aldus een personage. Dat gaat misschien wat ver, maar wie Het leven van Pi leest, móet wel geloven in de onverwoestbare kracht van verhalen. Yann Martel (1963) werd geboren in Spanje en woont in Montreal, Canada. Hij is de auteur van De geschiedenis van de Roccamatio’s uit Helsinki en de autobiografische roman Zelf. Het leven van Pi won de Man Booker Prize 2002. ‘Het leven van Pi is een fantastisch boek. Het is fris, origineel, slim, geraffineerd en vol van bezielde liefde.’ Margaret Atwood ‘Het leven van Pi laat ons geloven in de verbeeldingskracht van de literatuur, in de noodzaak van het betere verhaal.’ Stine Jensen, NRC Handelsblad ‘Pi = 3,141... en Yann Martel = God.’ Arie Storm, Het Parool ‘Precair evenwicht tussen spel en ernst, fantasie en realisme, een immer verrassende, frisse stijl.’Kristien Hemmerechts, Vrij Nederland

À la suite d’une pénible rencontre à Londres où son nouveau livre, s’inspirant de l’abomination nazie, est rejeté par ses éditeurs, Henry rentre chez lui et cesse d’écrire. Une page semble tournée. Henry continue de répondre à ses lecteurs qui se passionnent pour son dernier roman paru. Or voici qu’il reçoit un courrier où l’un d’eux lui demande son aide. C’est un taxidermiste, mais aussi un apprenti écrivain dont l’histoire de Béatrice et Virgile, une ânesse et un singe, est saisissante. Cette fable qui semble évoquer l’Holocauste captive Henry: tout se passe comme si ce qu’il avait cru perdu à Londres renaissait sous ses yeux. Avec un savoir-faire admirable, Yann Martel fait la démonstration qu’un échec peut se transformer en victoire pour peu qu’on croie encore à l’infini pouvoir de l’imaginaire. Il nous montre aussi que les chemins qui mènent à cette reconquête sont parfois inattendus. Après L’Histoire de Pi, probablement le plus grand succès international d’un écrivain canadien, voici Béatrice et Virgile, un roman qui ne ressemble en rien au précédent, mais qui est aussi porté par un écrivain à l’immense talent.

Destiny can take many shapes. For Henry, a writer struggling to finish a book about the Holocaust, it arrives in the form of a puzzling envelope from a stranger. The envelope takes him into a taxidermist''s workshop. Filled with lovingly preserved animals from all corners of the globe, this place is unlike anywhere he has ever been.