Has Anyone Read Yann Martel's "life Of Pi"?

this is an awesome book,a must-read!
its kind of controversial,because its supposedly based on a true story, the experiences of a sixteen year old indian boy called Pi who is the sole human survivor after the ship in which him and his zoo-keeping family (migrating from india to canada) sinks, and  is on a life boat for 227 days in the middle of the pacific ocean,with a hyaena, a zebra, an orangutan and - beat this - a 450 pound bengal tiger which was finally his only surviving companion!!

another interesting thing about this story is Pi's conversion from hinduism to christianity then to islam,and trying to practise all three together!
we also learn about animal behaviour,as his parents owned a zoo in india.this adds to his survival tactics while on the life boat.

Pi is a creature of faith (or faiths,as the case may be),who sees eternally renewed wonder in God and in his creation.

when he finally gets aground,his story is seriously doubted,so he gives  another version of his survival,which many people believe is the true one,while the other is a figment of his (crazy??) imagination.

the book is really captivating.I read it in almost 5 hours, it depicts a whole lot and will leave you pondering long after you're through,
theres a whole lot to talk about concerning life of pi,so i keep wondering,

Has anyone read Yann Martel's life of Pi?!!!!!!!!

so alj, what'D u think of the authenticity of the whole story?
u think it was made up?
i would really like to know ur own views
i can't stop wondering about the whole experience,if it really happened.