Self Paperback - 1997

Media reviews

"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