The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harld Fry / Rachel Joyce / 320 p.

The description of this book did not hook me in at all, but I grew to love Harold--his pain, his unlikely mission and what he learns along the way.  Set in England, this is a tale of a man who has allowed life to happen around him for many years. A brief note from a dying woman sends him on a sudden quest across the country. The story behind Harold's pain and stagnation is teased out in the pages of this lovely book.

Life of Pi/Yann Martel/326 pgs.

I tried to read this book years ago, but was unable to get into it. This time around, it is our book club's selection, so I had a better reason to plow through it. It isn't an easy read. It's the story of Piscine Molitor Patel, a.k.a Pi, an Indian boy whose family owns a zoo. As times change in India, Pi's father decides to sell the zoo, and relocate his family to a better life in Canada. The boat carrying Pi, his family, and some of the zoo animals, sinks leaving Pi and some of the animals alive on a life boat--I'm giving you the "Readers' Digest" version. Long story short, the rest of the novel pertains to Pi and the Bengal tiger, Richard Parker's survival. Martel is very descriptive when detailing the skills necessary for surviving such a situation, but there is more to the story than just one of survival. There is philosophical and religious overtones--plus some humor. It's a very interesting read--I doubt if I see the movie version, though!