Yann Martel

Date of Birth: June 25, 1963

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Biography

Yann Martel is a Canadian author best known for his award-winning novel “Life of Pi,” which won the Man Booker Prize in 2002. Born in Salamanca, Spain, to Canadian parents, Martel’s early life was nomadic due to his parents’ careers as diplomats. He spent his childhood in various countries including Costa Rica, France, Mexico, and Canada. Martel attended Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, where he studied philosophy. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked various jobs, including tree planting in British Columbia, dishwasher, and security guard. His first published work was “The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios,” a collection of short stories released in 1993. However, it was “Life of Pi,” published in 2001, that catapulted Martel to international fame. The novel, which tells the story of a young Indian boy who survives 227 days on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, has been translated into more than 50 languages and adapted into a highly successful film directed by Ang Lee in 2012. Martel continues to write and has published several other works, including “Beatrice and Virgil” (2010) and “The High Mountains of Portugal” (2016). His writing is characterized by its blend of fantastical elements with deep philosophical questions.

5 Interesting Facts about Yann Martel

1. Yann Martel wrote “Life of Pi” while living in Montreal, Quebec.

2. He initially struggled to find a publisher for “Life of Pi,” receiving numerous rejections before it was finally accepted by Knopf Canada.

3. Martel has publicly stated that he was influenced by the works of authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Italo Calvino.

4. “Life of Pi” has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

5. He has been awarded multiple honorary doctorates from Canadian universities in recognition of his contributions to literature.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Yann Martel

1. “The presence of God is the finest of rewards.”

2. “To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.”

3. “I am not one given to projecting my personal thoughts onto others, but I am not blind.”

4. “If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.”

5. “You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”