Yann Martel is a Canadian author born in 1963. He is best known for his novel Life of Pi, which won the Man Booker Prize and became an international bestseller. The book was published in more than 50 territories and has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Life of Pi achieved remarkable commercial success, spending more than a year on the bestseller lists of The New York Times and The Globe and Mail, among many other major bestseller lists. The novel's popularity extended beyond print, as it was adapted into a film of the same name directed by Ang Lee. The film adaptation received four Academy Awards, including the Academy Award for Best Director, and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.