Pi

My recent leisure reading is Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

I bought this book from Books Kinokuniya (紀伊國屋書店) of Kuala Lumpur last year - before I knew Lee Ang was making a film of it.

I did not watch the movie - but its comment and criticism were everywhere, so much so I believe I know the exact point of hot discussion: Did Pi really stay with a tiger? Or was it a story of man eating man?

Or, as my friend VW pointed out, which story should we believe when we talk about god?

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The book is terrific. In fact, I enjoyed very much the first one-third of the story (before the shipwreck); Martel's insight on philosophy and religion should be written down as a compulsory chapter for the general education of all university students.

After Tsimtsum sank in the Pacific Ocean, I continued to read with a meek interest - not so much on discerning which version of the story is true, but more attracted by the physical set up of a life boat and all the details of survival tips.

But, when it came to that algae island, I saw light.

Yann Martel must be trying to say something else!