For those who don't know then I will start by pointing out that "The Life of Pi" by Canadian author Yann Martel won the Man Booker Prize this year. However for those of you that might feel intimidated by the thought of reading a Booker Prize winning novel, don't be put off! This book is a very easy read but at the same time is stunning in it's imagery, use of language and sheer damn good storytelling.

The book begins with a note from the author describing how he came to write the book. It describes how upon the failure of his previous books he was wandering around India and in the town of Pondicherry came upon a man who, upon discovering he was an author, told him he had a story that would make him believe in God. Martel was so intrigued by this claim that he listened to the story of the ordeal of Pi Patel. The man said that Pi now lived in Toronto and so Martel looked him up and got him to tell his story in full. The note goes on to say that nearly a year later he received a tape of an interview with Pi Patel from the Japanese Ministry of Transport who had investigated the sinking of the ship.

Pi's early life was spent in Pondicherry, once the capital of French India. His father was the proprietor of Pondicherry zoo and so Pi was brought up in the delightful environment of the zoo. At one point Pi's father takes him and his siblings around the zoo to stress upon them how dangerous the animals are. To make this very clear he treats them to the spectacle of a goat being killed by a tiger which has a deep effect upon Pi.

The story also describes how Pi, who comes from a secular family, becomes a Hindu, a Christian and a Moslem all at the same time and sees no conflict between the religions. This early part of the book is delightful and thought provoking.

The ordeal that Pi goes through is horrifying, gruelling and soul destroying. As a vegan he is forced to become carnivorous to survive and learns to live off fish and dried rations left in the lifeboat. He collects water from occasional rain and using solar stills. This part of the story is a fantastic and magical adventure which is at times horrifying and dark and at other times uplifting. The tale is beautifully told and any unnecessary anthropomorphism of the animals is avoided - they are all too real!

Clearly the purpose of the author's preamble and the final section is to make you believe that this is a true story and I am left wondering whether it is (or at least whether some aspect of it is). If it is true then it is at the very least the most astounding tale of survival you are ever likely to read. Much is believable but some parts clearly seem to be from the imagination. However, the final section makes you wonder what might be true - it is left to the reader to decide. However, it does not really matter whether it is true or not, as it is one of the most enjoyable reads I have come across for a very long time.