Self [Paperback]

Yann Martell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2003

A fictional autobiography of a young writer which takes the reader to Canada, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and elsewhere. This story of love, sex and ambiguity is the first novel by the Canadian author of the award-winning short-story collection, "The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios".

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Let me tell you a secret: The name of the greatest living writer of the generation born in the sixties is Yann Martel." -- L'Humanité

"This is an exhilarating piece of fiction, as bold and original as anything I've read in a long time." -- Charles Foran, Montreal Gazette

"A powerful story, punctuated by humour and tragedy in much the way real life is. -- Like Rohinton Mistry and Michael Ondaatje, Martel is a brilliant storyteller." -- Vancouver Sun

"Superb -- Masterfully written. -- Martel has an almost otherworldly talent. -- He is a powerful writer and storyteller, almost a force of nature." -- Edmonton Journal

"Yann Martel wonderfully represents the child's universe as a seamless whole...A penetrating, funny, original and absolutely delightful exploration.... [Martel] is a natural and often brilliant essayist and expositor, with a knack for aphorism and a rich cultural and literary foundation." -- Globe and Mail

"So vigorous and confident and sure-footed...so compelling, that Self's education does end up being part of the reader's. Like all good educations, it is hard to forget, once absorbed." -- Toronto Star

"Engaging...There's some real insight here....Self is filled with things that sound a lot like the truth...now and again you encounter things that read so true, the sound they make resonates for hours, or even days. Self is still ringing in my ears." -- Hour Magazine

"Mesmerizing...Linguistic treats dance across the page, and the subject -- a young person's life -- careens between the remarkably realistic and the wildly imaginative.... Martel is a gifted writer: his language saunters and soars.... Martel addresses important issues and does so creatively and seriously. He deserves to be read." -- Calgary Herald


From the Trade Paperb... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Faber & Faber; New edition edition (April 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0571219764
• ISBN-13: 978-0571219766
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Winner of the 2002 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

Yann Martel, the son of diplomats, was born in Spain in 1963. He grew up in Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Alaska, and Canada and as an adult has spent time in Iran, Turkey, and India. After studying philosophy in college, he worked at various odd jobs until he began earning his living as a writer at the age of twenty-seven. He lives in Montreal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

115 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't compare to "Life of Pi", December 15, 2003

By 

Laura M Ginsburg (Florida, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Self Pb (Paperback)

It is unfortunate that most people who read this book will have read "The Life of Pi" first, and will therefore be expecting another similar novel by Yann Martel. As other reviewers have shown, this proves to be a huge error in judgement. While Pi is a novel that has an easily accessible surface story, and many underlying themes that most can associate with, "Self" is a novel that requires more from the reader. You can literally float along with Pi on his journey and understand what he is going though, but the journey in Self is utterly different. While the main plots (sexuality, gender, society and fulfilling given roles) are clear at first, the real meaning is not as apparent. The switching of genders by the main character, the lesbian and gay scenes and the rape all beg questions of the reader. What is sexuality and what defines it? Is it socially based, culturally based or based within the person? The changes in the character should force the reader the reexamine preconceived notions of what it is they are reading about. "The Life of Pi" is more of a personal/spiritual journey, one that most people can relate with, and don't get me wrong, I love the book. But "Self" is a book that questions the journey of a person through society and through questions of what "makes" a person who they are; the judgements and outcomes, and therefore the inner change (generally mirrored by the outer change of the character) are merely the beginning of the story itself.

If you read "Life of Pi" and are expecting another novel of a similar genre, don't read "Self". But if you want to read another brilliant novel by Yann Martel, and go into expecting it to be different (just reading the back of the book should evoke this, with the questions it offers the reader before the story even begins), then read Self and look deeper into it than the surface story. If you do this, Self can become an even greater novel than Pi.

Happy Reading!

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely well written, December 11, 2004

By 

Nabila Afifi (Cairo - Egypt) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Self Pb (Paperback)

I received this book as a gift, and before reading it, I checked-out the reviews online. Honestly, I didn't have high expectations of the book..

But then I read it... here is some of the best quotations I have read...

"Love is a form of childhood in the way we become capable again of being wholly enthralled, able to believe so much so easily so intensely"

"--- the sort of friendship where a separation of time and space is merely a pause in an ongoing conversation"

I can quote so many others well written phrases by the Author. The book is an extremely well written, well organized exploration of the human mind.. it touches every feeling you ever thought you had in you.. it shows you the thin line between what actually happens and what takes place in our own imagination.

I would recommend this book... and next on my list to read would be other books by Yann Martel....

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I thought the point of writing was to explore . . ., June 22, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Self Pb (Paperback)

I like the other reviewers read 'Pi' first. I only have one question: why would anyone expect an amazing writer like Martel to turn out 'Pi' flavoured cookie cutter novels? I, for one, find it quite a refreshing turn that Martel has the depth and creativity to find such different topics to write about with such command.

There is no doubt that sex (and quite explicit for that matter) plays an important part in Martel's foray into understanding the dichotomy of humanity. However, he is not covering any unknown territory. If you can read the sexual content as part of the larger context of identity crisis, you will find that Martel is absolutely compelling, even illuminating about human nature.

Why should a reader cheer Pi more than the protagonist of 'Self'?