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| A Bengal Tiger yesterday |
Hamish's book choice was the acclaimed "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. Hamish had recently seen the Ang Lee film version and that inspired his choice. Richard Parker, the Bengal Tiger, was a brilliant character, and Hamish enjoyed this thought provoking book, before lavishing it with a fulsome 9.5/10.
Nigel read this book a couple of years ago and chose not to re-read it for the Book Group. He also saw Ang Lee's film version in January 2013 which remains pretty faithful to the story as described in the book. Nigel wondered how much of his perceptions where now informed by the film version which he thought was magnificent.
Although many critics emphasise the story's allegorical qualities, for Nigel the book worked best as an adventure story. The scenes of the boat sinking, and Pi on the lifeboat with Richard Parker, are so well written that, despite being fanciful, somehow remain convincing and exciting. Usually Nigel finds his patience tested by anything that smacks of magic realism, however he thought this book managed to incorporate those elements into the narrative and yet still be pleasing (although the carnivorous island was the least enjoyable aspect of the story).
The alternative version, as relayed to the sceptical officials investigating the ship's sinking, is a masterstroke that turns the whole tale on its head. Which version is true? Does it matter? Either way it's a great yarn, brilliantly told, and improbably it made for an even better film. 8/10
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| Don - a mini-existential crisis? |
Like Nigel, Tristan had already read the book and chosen not to reread it. A decision he had come to regret having read parts of it again just before the gathering. Martel's storyline is already well-known: a fifteen-year-old boy, the son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry, India survives a shipwreck several days out of Manila. He is the lone human survivor, but his lifeboat is occupied by a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, an injured zebra, a hyena, and an Orang-utan. In relatively short order and in true Darwinian fashion, their numbers are reduced to just two: the boy Pi Patel, and the tiger, Richard Parker. Tristan felt that the first 100 pages were less satisfactory than the rest of the book, however this was but small beer to an otherwise marvellous novel that was worthy of 8/10.
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| Robin - detected a spiritual element |
Keith wondered if the author's note was suggesting that "Life of Pi" was actually a true tale. This notion was swiftly poo-pooed by the rest of the group, however Keith warmed to his theme.... Martel employs a number of
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| Keith - truth is stranger than fiction |
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| Nick - anti-Japanese? |
Jason announced that we are all storytellers, who cast our experiences and even our own lives in story form. Martel's message is that all humans use stories to process the reality around them, from the stories that comprise history to those that explain the actions and behaviours of our families and friends. We could never process the chaotic stream of events from everyday life without stories to help us categorise and compartmentalise them. Jason felt we all choose our own stories to accomplish meaning and comprehension - for some this is based on faith and religion, for others this is based on empiricism and science. The approach we choose dictates our interpretation of the world around us. A brilliantly written book that is somehow believable. The island though? WTF?! 8/10
A very respectable average score of 8 for Mr Martel and his allegorical tale of a tiger and a boy.
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| Japan "Tin Drum" |
Nigel thought 'Tin Drum' stood up remarkably well. It was not an album he ever owned or had listened to. He recalled when Japan were around but never really warmed to them at the time. Listening now, his feelings haven't changed much. Although the album still sounds remarkably fresh, Nigel regards it as an album to admire rather than to love - unlike, say, the contemporaneous "New Gold Dream" by Simple Minds which works on both an emotional and a cerebral level. The big exception to this is the single "Ghosts" which is a classic. The pared down arrangement, David Sylvain's fragile, uncertain vocals, and a haunting melody elevate this tale of lost love to a timeless avant garde pop masterpiece - right up there with Good Vibrations, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling, Summer Breeze, Death Disco, and Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes. 6/10
Jason felt Tin Drum was the album where Japan hit their stride. The two strongest forces in the band had found their own voices: David Sylvian's compositions combined influences like Roxy Music, Erik Satie, and Eastern Asian traditional music, all augmented by Mick Karn's unique, rubbery fretless bass playing. Even at this early point in his career, no one sounded like Karn. 8/10
Tristan was less enthused describing the music as unremitting twaddle and the songs as self indulgent. Ouch. 0/10.
Keith. Not then. Not now. Double ouch. 6/10
Nick Despite the lack of anti-Japanese bias here, and Nick's love of similar stuff, this is just shit. -8/10 (yes minus eight). Treble ouch.
And so ended another memorable evening that embraced culture, Bengal tigers, life boats, eyeliner, synthpop, and convivial discourse. See ya next month.
