Self

London: Faber and Faber, 2003. Very Good+. Let me tell you a secret: The name of the greatest living writer of the ge neration 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 li fe 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 whol e...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 a nd Mail "So vigorous and confident and sure-footed...so compelling, that Self's edu cation 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 th at sound a lot like the truth...now and again you encounter things that rea d so true, the sound they make resonates for hours, or even days. Self is s till 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 a.