Just finished Life of Pi.

[NAD]

SPOILER ALERT if you haven't finished it (I know a few others are reading it right now, or JayK hopes so at least ).

Fuck me did those last 15 pages screw with my head. While reading this book a few times I thought "yeah JayKeeley mentioned some intense metaphors but I've just been reading a nice story and that's all," but I'm pretty sure that ending is going to keep my head whirling for quite some time.

Dude. Read The Satanic Verses. NOW.

 

[NAD]

Yes yes yes, that ending was total Rushdie. I just read a comparison of this to Midnight's Children, and I've been looking for a kick in the crotch to read another Rushdie so here we go. I've read 3 of his, they are ridiculously intense at times and not the easiest or most pleasant of reads (which is what makes them so brilliant, even The Moor's Last Sigh which I didn't seem to like but somehow the entire story is firmly planted in my head all these many books later), and some other rambling to keep this sentence running along gleefully like a small child with two heads. Yeah I'm not really sure which story to believe, or if I'm really going to want to choose because obviously both are a conquering of one's will as well as someone else's, but at the same time one is majestic and the other extremely cruel. But which is more bizarre? Richard Parker or the chef? Hmm, I think I need to find a Bonsai tree, see if it'll eat my limbs as darkness takes hold.

Yes. Wow. Thank you Ali, and thank your mother for me as well.

 

[JayKeeley]

At last. Somebody to talk to about it.

*takes deep breath*

MORE SPOILER ALERTS....

Can you imagine what it's like not to be able to talk to anyone once the book is done? As soon as I finished it, I called my mom, and then I called my uncle since I knew he read it. By the way, did you read through the questions he offered at the end? Some were rather elaborate, but at some point we should address them.

Firstly, it's been a while, but some key points that stick out with big question marks especially at the island....

1 - What is the significance of the meercats do you think? I mean, why meercats?
2 - Is it possible that an island of algae can create pockets of fresh water? And then later seep acid? I can totally accept this for some warped botanical reasoning.
3 - The single fruit in the tree - it contains human teeth, correct?
4 - Is the island even real!!???

Nice touch: the final Japanese report referencing the tiger.

Also, do you see now why M Night Shyamalan fought hard to get the rights to make this? I totally see him being involved in this.

Absolutely one of the greatest books I've read, and I am right now holding Siddhartha, and will then go on to Rushdie.

Fuck the Da Vinci Code, that I'll just read on the shitter now and then.

 

[NAD]

Yeah I briefly went over the questions, I will return to them shortly though. This story will work great for M. Night, that trademark twist is what really sells it. That should be awfully cool, but I imagine a lot of people will hate it like The Village (ugh that movie is too good for words).

You'll love Siddhartha, it's such a beautiful story.

1. Haven't thought about that yet, but their morphed habits could lead to something, hmm.
2. Me too! I found everything about that totally believable! Algae is weird, the ocean is unknown, and venus fly traps exist so there you go!
3. Yep. I figured that was just the last bit of rendered human that could be melted, although they can in something so corrosive. Oh, probably that was kept for the freak out factor.
4. Probably not!

Nice touch: the final Japanese report referencing the tiger.

That was like the "oh so that is what happened. Or did it? Mystery post!" moment.

 

[JayKeeley]

Yeah, or they could have just sympathized with him to the extent that they got sucked in.

Although the book starts off slow, the detail in the zoo life habits of the animals, his devout love for all three religions, and the fact that he's obsessed with the science of zoology -- all these things make the last half of the book work wonders. It all just falls into place.

I think if they do it right, the film could be stunning. I really hope they get a top cinematographer for it. The book made me want to visit those tea houses in India and just get away from life for a few months and hit the road with my backpack again.

The whole ending, with the tape transcription, is just going to be movie history in the making, provided Shyamalan is in top form.

 

[NAD]

The whole ending, with the tape transcription, is just going to be movie history in the making, provided Shyamalan is in top form.

Absolutely. Holy shit, if this movie works, it could totally make up for Peter Jackson not including The Scouring of the Shire in the movies!

Think about it, it actually makes sense! I think...

 

[JayKeeley]

I haven't seen the extended edition of RotK, didn't he include that then? I thought he would have just because there was footage from Fellowship when Frodo looks into Galadriel's bowl of water...

 

[NAD]

I know, I was CERTAIN it would be because that, but no.

Hang on though, whoa man you haven't seen the Mouth of Sauron then. That part was included, and even though the scene is different from the book it is very cool and extremely creepy.

 

[JayKeeley]

OK so I should rent this then. Maybe this weekend....I'll just skip through the regular bits.

 

[lurch70]

again ... M. Night is NOT involved in directing this project. he did work on the screenplay though.
Alfonso Cuaron is directing it ... who i have a lot of faith in ... especially on the visual end.

 

[JayKeeley]

The story is so exceptional, it'll be hard to screw it up. Just tell it as it is....

 

[JayKeeley]

This is a pretty magical link -- really cool for people who've not yet read the book:

http://pi.canongate.net/life_of_pi.htm

Also, some new more artwork around the book, obviously on it's 3rd or 4th publish run already:

And did you know it had already been turned into a theater production in the UK?

 

[NAD]

This book was like Old Man and the Sea, except it was good instead of shit.

 

[JayKeeley]

It's a shame more people didn't read it. Sure, it won the Booker prize, so at least the author is well recognized now, but it's like one of those things that everyone should read and discuss.

Kinda like The Usual Suspects. Everybody should see that film and then discuss it to kingdom come, seeing as it's the greatest mystery ever since anything Hitchcock ever penned.

 

[NAD]

There are people that haven't seen The Usual Suspects? Shit I was late to the party and saw it in 1998!

Oh and I'm giving it to a friend tonight to read (he loves the high seas), then another one (he loves Rushdie), and I'll probably buy a copy for pops for father's day.

 

[JayKeeley]

I've pretty much told everyone I know to read it, and they come back just singing its praises.

Remember that gig I was on in Florida? I told the CEO of the company down there to read it (it's when I had JUST finished it). Anyway, the project ended, and 3 months later he called me up on my cellphone and left a voicemail:

"er...ok....I just read Life of Pi.....you MUST MUST MUST call me now".

 

[lurch70]

It's a shame more people didn't read it. Sure, it won the Booker prize, so at least the author is well recognized now, but it's like one of those things that everyone should read and discuss.

Kinda like The Usual Suspects. Everybody should see that film and then discuss it to kingdom come, seeing as it's the greatest mystery ever since anything Hitchcock ever penned.

hmm, Life of Pi ... still sitting there on my coffee table, half done ... and after reading some of the stuff above not sure I want to finish it. Something about that book that does not make it interesting reading. I totally felt detached from the main character.

The Usual Suspect ... great great film ... but not in Hitchcok league by any means.

 

[JayKeeley]

hmm, Life of Pi ... still sitting there on my coffee table, half done ....

Yeah, it's called an "attention span"?

How on earth can you decide on anything without having even [read it/heard it/watched it] all the way through????????

 

[lurch70]

i didn't decide on it until i read some of those spoilers ahead and scratched my head ...
was actually intending to finish it before I read them

 

[JayKeeley]

What spoilers? There's nothing in this thread that truly gives anything away!