Martel is best known as the author of Life of Pi, which was made into a terrific movie, which you've probably seen already. But if not, do so. It's the best. (Or read the book, it might be even better than the movie)
If you enjoyed Life of Pi, another Martel novel -- I just finished it -- is Beatrice and Virgil. It is a novel about Martel's answer to the question, "Why should we bother with fiction when we have the factual records of journalism and history scholarship?" The answer is deivered in a sudden, astonishing twist.
I won't give it away. But it reminded me of the scene in Sophie's Choice where Sophie protests to a Nazi officer on the Auschwitz train platform that she and her two babies shouldn't have been sent to the death camp, because they are Christians. More, I can't say.
If you enjoyed Life of Pi, another Martel novel -- I just finished it -- is Beatrice and Virgil. It is a novel about Martel's answer to the question, "Why should we bother with fiction when we have the factual records of journalism and history scholarship?" The answer is deivered in a sudden, astonishing twist.
I won't give it away. But it reminded me of the scene in Sophie's Choice where Sophie protests to a Nazi officer on the Auschwitz train platform that she and her two babies shouldn't have been sent to the death camp, because they are Christians. More, I can't say.