A modern-day Orlando—edgy, funny and startlingly honest—Self is the fictional autobiography of a young writer and traveller who finds his gender changed overnight.

Yann Martel is the author of Life of Pi, the global bestseller that won the 2002 Man Booker Prize (among other honours) and was adapted to the screen in the Oscar-winning film by Ang Lee. He is also the author of the short story collection The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, the novels Self and Beatrice and Virgil, and the nonfiction work 101 Letters to a Prime Minister. Born in Spain in 1963, Martel studied philosophy at Trent University, worked at odd jobs — tree planter, dishwasher, security guard — and travelled widely before turning to writing. He lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with the writer Alice Kuipers and their four children.

Yann Martel's profile page

"Let me tell you a secret: The name of the greatest living writer of the generation born in the sixties is Yann Martel." —L'Humanité
"This is an exhilarating piece of fiction, as bold and original as anything I've read in a long time." —Charles Foran, Montreal Gazette
"A powerful story, punctuated by humour and tragedy in much the way real life is. . . . Like Rohinton Mistry and Michael Ondaatje, Martel is a brilliant storyteller." —Vancouver Sun
"Superb . . . . Masterfully written. . . . Martel has an almost otherworldly talent. . . . He is a powerful writer and storyteller, almost a force of nature." —Edmonton Journal
"Yann Martel wonderfully represents the child's universe as a seamless whole . . . A penetrating, funny, original and absolutely delightful exploration. . . . [Martel] is a natural and often brilliant essayist and expositor, with a knack for aphorism and a rich cultural and literary foundation." —Globe and Mail
"So vigorous and confident and sure-footed . . . so compelling, that Self's education does end up being part of the reader's. Like all good educations, it is hard to forget, once absorbed." —Toronto Star

"Engaging . . .There's some real insight here. . . . Self is filled with things that sound a lot like the truth . . . now and again you encounter things that read so true, the sound they make resonates for hours, or even days. Self is still ringing in my ears." —Hour Magazine

"Mesmerizing . . . Linguistic treats dance across the page, and the subject—a young person's life—careens between the remarkably realistic and the wildly imaginative. . . . Martel is a gifted writer: his language saunters and soars. . . . Martel addresses important issues and does so creatively and seriously. He deserves to be read." —Calgary Herald