Life of Pi by Yann Martel

From Marlo:

I get it. Why BLOG stuff people can see for themselves on the Net, right?

For book reviews

Especially interesting is the review by Nicholas Carvan:
For discussion questions, go to here and here.

P.S. Here's a short animated clip inspired by LIFE OF PI.

(Note: from Sally. I found this interview with the author to be revealing. The Guardian provides us with more info about Martel.)

A Bend in the River by Naipaul

Note: I've edited Marlo's original email. Please click on the links for more details.
More goodies from Marlo:

Analysis

Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul [emory]

Biography [emory]

Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul was born in Chaguanas, Trinidad, on August 17, 1932. His Hindu grandfather had emigrated there from W.India as an indentured servant. His father, Seepersad (1906-53), was a journalist, whose literary aspirations were inherited by V.S., and his brother, Shiva. The family moved to Port of Spain, where Naipaul attended Queenís Royal College. In 1948, he was awarded a Trinidad government scholarship, which he used to study literature at University College, Oxford, beginning in 1950. Following his graduation in 1953, Naipaul worked as a free-lance writer with the BBC, hosting the program "Carribbean Voices," and with the literary journal, The New Statesman. He married an English woman--Patricia Ann Hale--in 1955. Since then, he has resided in London, travelling extensively and writing many critically acclaimed novels, short stories, and essays. In 1990, Naipaul was knighted by the Royal family. His wife died in 1996, and he was remarried shortly thereafter, to a Pakistani woman named Nadira.

Link to the Nobel Prize site on Naipaul.

Scholars link.

More analysis of A Bend In the River

Analysis: critical consciousness

Edward Said on Naipaul

Robert Boyers on Naipaul

A provocative critique of Naipaul, on spitting

The Atlantic Monthly on Naipaul

Transcript of his Nobel prize acceptance speech

His Banquet speech

His Nobel lecture

His PBS interview

Critique

Critique: UCLA

PS Re: Post modernism

From Marlo:

P.S. For those who are postmodernist enthusiasts, there's a Norton Anthology called Postmodern American Fiction by Paula Geyh, Fred G. Leebron, Andrew Levy. Of course, after they read a ton of this stuff, they may be too wiggy to participate in future book-group discussions....