Foot and Fire

Life of Pi By Yann Martel Fiction, Paperback, 326 pages My nephew asked me why I read the book when I already saw the movie. He recalled the tiger Richard Parker and the Indian boy, to prove his point that we have watched the film.  I told him that the movie is a sure good film but it was a visial portrayal, none of the meditations on written words. I wanted to add but spared him, that I even liked the actor who played Pi in the movie and I liked his succeeding films all throughout the years that follow. Also, I relearned that Ang Lee directed the film so I simply trust that it must be good.  I loved the first part of the book, its heart is actually found early on in chapters 21 and 22. But I only realized that after going through the middle humdrum of survival and then the thin last part. See, that's the reason I loved the book and finished until the 100th chapter.  Do you believe in God? Or stopped asking yourself or relied on others to define who God is to ...

Chocolat By Joanne Harris Fiction Softbound, 320 pages A happy read. Especially on this Lenten season. If one has seen the movie first before reading the book or vice verse, I must say that it does not matter. Both versions are justice to each other. But in my case, I saw the movie first and then read the book in years apart, mind you!  Set in an obscure town in France, this novel with magical realism genre is all about spirituality, no mere religion, about the essence of doing good to our fellowmen that showing off goodness, about acceptance of our human weaknesses and surviving it. I expected some concoction along the way but I failed. I wished there are incorporated recipes on chocolate or some sprinkles of academic facts on chocolate but it did not. What it has is an engaging story told through the eyes gypsy-like Vianne who struggles to find a home, an acceptance by giving people their little sweet indulgence and Fr. Francis Reynaud who struggles about h...