When Henry, a prize-winning writer who wants to write a book about the Holocaust, finds a letter from an elderly taxidermist on his doormat, it poses a puzzle that he cannot resist. As he is pulled into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes increasingly involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey???named Beatrice and Virgil???the taxidermist's 'guides through hell'.
With all the spirit and originality that drew seven million readers to Life of Pi, Beatrice and Virgil takes the reader on a tremendous and powerful imaginative journey. On the way Martel asks profound questions on the nature of human cruelty, kindness, moral engagement, life and art, and the liberating power of stories.
Yann Martel's brilliant new novel is a haunting, unforgettable tale.
About the AuthorYann Martel was born in Spain in 1963. After studying philosophy at university, he worked at odd jobs and travelled before turning to writing at the age of twenty-six. He is the author of the internationally acclaimed 2002 Man Booker Prize???winning novel
Life of Pi, which was translated into thirty-eight languages and spent fifty-seven weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. His collection of short stories, The Facts behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, and his first novel, Self, both received critical acclaim.
Yann Martel lives in Saskatchewan, Canada.