Sink or Swim

Yann Martel "Life of Pi" (Mariner Books)




This is the tie-in version to the film that I did not see when It came out and still haven't watched. in fact, it is the first time I have read this book. Better late than never.

Piscine Molitor Patel, son of a zookeeper from Pondicherry, India, moves with his family by boat to Canada in search of a better life. The boat sinks and Piscine (aka Pi) finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a few animals and limited provisions. Among the most noteworthy of the animals is Richard Parker, a ferocious Bengal tiger. Pi sees no human survivors, spies no land, and is aware of only limited provisions on the lifeboat.

Absent any religious dogma, this is a book about religion. It’s about what individuals believe and how those beliefs make for a fuller, richer existence. It captures wonderful insight into animal psychology, particularly of large cats. Well written, this novel does not have its full effect until after the book ends. Then is the time to reflect on what was presented, ask more questions, think about the subject matter, decide one’s own personal theology, and provoke others into discussion. Don’t miss the chapter about the skies, seas, and winds. Outstanding! One caution: there are some very graphic descriptions of animal and human cruelty. Brace yourselves.

Sebastian Junger "The Perfect Storm" (Harper Perennial)




This excellent book tells the tale of a marine disaster in the Atlantic. It was gripping, intense, and informative. It is certainly one of the finest adventure stories I've ever read.

A perfect storm is a meteorological term meaning (according to Wikipedia) a unusually severe storm that comes about because of a rare combination of meteorological phenomena. It is a disaster if you are far out at sea, and it caused the end of a fishing boat and its crew in the fall of 1991. The Andrea Gail, a fishing boat from Gloucester, Massachusetts was longline fishing for swordfish 575 miles offshore.

It's a harrowing tale. It also taught me a lot of things, including the fact that the fish that lands on our table at home or at the Red Lobster has been caught by men and women in the face of danger, far from home, and subject to accidents in a manner few jobs have. Captaining a commercial fishing boat requires so much knowledge, about navigation, weather, equipment, managing people. knowing how and when to call for help, and how to respect the sea that you're floating on. Never before have I read a book that stated so clearly how much can go wrong on an ocean-going vessel.

The book also made me look at extraordinary people who risk their lives daily to help others. The Coast Guard swimmers, people whom you drop from a helicopter to help open-sea rescues were the individuals who impressed me most. To volunteer to go into icy water, to rescue people who aren't even conscious, and to get them to safety is a job for which I have the utmost respect.

A Perfect Storm also looked closely at the families of the fishermen. This part broke my heart. I had to read about wives, girlfriends, parents and children of men who were never going to come home. This was hard reading for me.

A particular rescue off the coast of Nova Scotia's Sable island was particularly intense, and I had to ignore my body's cries for sleep in order to read to the end of the chapter.