Life of Pi Life of Pi Life of Pi is a Canadian fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist is Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry who explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The novel has sold more than ten million copies worldwide. It was rejected by at least five London publishing houses before being accepted by Knopf Canada, which published it in September 2001. The UK edition won
Life of Pi zoological lore and enthralling adventure tale, written with warmth and grace". "Master Plots" suggested that the "central themes of "Life of Pi" concern religion and human faith in God". Reutter said, "So believable is Pi's story telling that readers will be amazed." Gregory Stephens added that it "achieves something more quietly spectacular." Smith stated that there was "no bamboozlement here." Gary Krist of "The New York Times" praised the book, but added that at times Martel "pushes the didactic agenda of his story too hard." In 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama wrote a letter directly to Martel, describing "Life of