I should be working on my lesson for today. I should be doing homework. I should be working on ornaments for the Ronald McDonald house tree (Due Tuesday). I should be painting those amazing surprise gifts I’m making. But alas, I am doing none of the above. Instead, I am sitting here with wet hair on my neck thinking about the movie I saw last night. Life of Pi.
I bought the book you know, I really did. I bought it from my favorite little book store in Titusville, Florida. I loved that book store because the manager had read almost every book in it. I would go in and pretend to browse until she came over and told me what I wanted to read next. It all happened because of Pi. I had purchased the book and attempted to read it. I pride myself on being able to read most anything. I couldn’t get through this one tho. It was so boring…and surprisingly ‘dry’ for the content….. The next time I went book hunting, I mentioned to “Beth” that I had gotten the book and it had beaten me. “Bring it back!” she said. A light went on in my head….if I brought it back, I wouldn’t have to admit defeat every time I saw it looking at me from the book shelf. I was saved! I brought the book back and exchanged it for something I could read. I believe that is when I started on my Phillipa Gregory chapter of life. Loved those books. Pi was quickly forgotten along with the four other books that had beaten me; 1000 years of solitude ( just kill me – and smack Oprah for recommending it), The Fountainhead ( the first page is absolutely beautiful…I stopped shortly after that…I’ll go back some day, maybe.), 1984 (I was young…8th grade, don’t judge me), The Lady in the Tower (Ann Boleyn doesn’t even like this tribute herself I bet.)
I figured all was good until I started seeing movie posters and trailers for my nemesis book. Life of Pi had obviously been read by someone else with more fortitude than myself. Obviously someone that had a say in movie making. I was being mocked wherever movies were shown. My sister had read the book with her book club. It was getting personal. I had always been intrigued with the story in the book, I just couldn’t seem to read it. I thought about trying to read it again, before the movie came out, but that just wasn’t an option. School is all I read these days. Well, except for my friend Betsy Love’s book Identity. I did finish that one the other day. But I just didn’t think I had enough space in my brain to fit any Pi with all the Biology, political science, technology and general education class info I had stuffed in there lately. I gave in and went to the movie last night.
Whenever I read a book before seeing the movie, I compare them. It natural and and almost impossible not to do that. As I sat watching this incredibly beautiful story unfold before my eyes, I felt a peaceful relief that I didn’t know where the story was going. It was a ride of wonder and amazement as I experienced the story for the first time. It’s hard to believe that a story so rich and full and deep actually came from those dry brittle pages. It was amazing.
So now, here I am. Watching as the book walks away from me. Will I read it? Will it call to me and ask me to delve even deeper into the amazing story the movie told me? Or will it just keep walking, not turning back, just like Richard Parker? Was there a tiger? Is there a tiger? I am the tiger. Cause I said so.
CuzIsaidSo Weblog 
The Martel book is definitely worthwhile; so is another by him called “Beatrice and Virgil.” On the other hand, I think you’ll get to “Pi” when it’s time for you to get to it. I think we’ve all had the experience of opening up a book before we were ready for it. I’ve started and dropped several books only to find, a year or two later, that I was finally in the right place to read them and enjoy their style. I really appreciate your honesty: thank you for your post! (btw: Philippa Gregory is a great choice: her series on the War of the Roses is amazing.)