Life of Pi Yann Martel
Illustrated by Jon Ching
A magical reading experience, Life of Pi by Yann Martel explores the redemptive power of storytelling in a meta-tale of adventure, survival, and ultimately, faith.
Pi Patel is an unusual boy. The son of a zookeeper, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. Practicing not only his native Hinduism but also Christianity and Islam, Pi tries on various faiths for size, attracting “religions the way a dog attracts fleas.” When Pi is 16, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. The ship sinks and Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat with his only companions: a wounded zebra, a spotted hyena, a seasick orangutan, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger.
Yann Martel has said that Life of Pi can be summarized in three statements: “Life is a story. You can choose your story. A story with God is the better story.”
First published in 2002, Martel’s breathtaking breakout novel became an international bestseller and went on to win the Man Booker Prize, and was also named Amazon’s Best Book of 2002. It has been adapted into an Academy Award-winning film and a Tony Award-winning play.
About The Editions
The signed limited edition of Life of Pi by Yann Martel is presented in three states: Classic, Numbered and Lettered. The editions measure 6” x 9” and feature six tipped-in full color illustrations by Jon Ching as well as the author’s note from the original publication. The editions are signed by the author and artist. The text pages are set in Tyfa and Brahmos and are printed letterpress on Mohawk Via Laid, Mohawk Superfine and mouldmade Rives by Norman Clayton on his Heidelberg Cylinder in Ojai, California.
Classic Edition
The Classic edition is limited to 500 copies, and is the only edition to include a dust jacket illustrated by Jon Ching. It is a smyth-sewn quarter cloth binding with paper sides and foil blocking on the cover and spine, and is housed in a cloth covered slipcase. The edition is printed letterpress on Mohawk Via Laid and is signed by the author and artist.
Numbered Edition
The Numbered edition of 250 copies is a full goatskin binding with a tooled & foil blocked cover, and a leather onlay. The headbands are handmade with leather and endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra. A fold-out of the Classic edition dust jacket illustration is included in this edition. The edition is housed in a cloth covered clamshell enclosure lined with velour, and is printed letterpress on Mohawk Superfine. This edition is signed by the author and artist, and is handbound by Roger Grech in the United Kingdom.
Lettered Edition
The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and is a Bradel binding with goatskin covering the spine, and boards handmade from Buckeye Burl wood & epoxy resin. The boards are made by laying a carefully selected piece of burl wood into a mould over which resin is poured. Once the resin has cured the board is sanded and is then laser cut to its final shape. Finally a clear flood coat of epoxy is applied for a high gloss finish. Due to the handmade nature of the boards, each copy will be unique. Endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra, and the edition is housed in a cloth-covered clamshell enclosure with a velour liner. A fold-out of the Classic edition dust jacket illustration is included in this edition. The edition is printed letterpress on mouldmade Rives 115 gsm paper and is signed by the author and artist.
About the Author
About the Collaborators
Jon Ching
Jon Ching grew up steeped in natural beauty on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i, which formed the foundation of his deep fascination with the natural and wild world. A self-taught painter, Jon’s devoted art practice and detailed realism is inspired by the interconnectedness of nature. New creatures and symbioses emerge in his meticulously rendered oil paintings, exemplifying the endless potential of life on Earth. Jon’s ultimate hope is to inspire love and admiration for the universally unique beauty and intrigue of our world.
Matching Numbers & Letters
A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to owners of our previous publication, Psycho at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.
Order Limits
Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.
Illustrations by Jon Ching
Published editions may differ slightly from mockups and prototype designs.
Illustrations © 2022 by Jon Ching.
Lettered & Numbered edition photography by Yegor Malinovskii.