Shantaram by Roberts, Gregory David (March 24, 2005) Paperback

A tremendous read,a gripping ,rollercoaster of a journey that gives one a sense of the real India,life as it is in what was Bombay

A superb book - I have read it twice and now am listening to it as an audiobook. Always one to recommend to a friend. A most fascinating account t of an Australian prisoner who escaped and longed for freedom, but whose tales of Mumbai and India more broadly are gripping and amazing.

A real page-turner.

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read, It tells of a very bad man who escapes jail and flees to India. The story is set in the India of the 80’s and the hippy trail. The protagonist uses his skills to earn money and to stay alive but soon he also learns from the extremely humble people who inhabit the slum that he hides in. And of course there is a love story running through the novel.

Amazing read, pristine condition, speedy delivery

I absolutely loved this book. It is long but it is so beautifully written that it keeps you engaged throughout. I was so devastated to finish it.

There never seem to be any reviews for the audio book versions on here so felt like I should. First of all the book itself is fantastic Gregory has a gift for writing that's for sure but to think he actually had all these incredible experiences is amazing. But I wanted to talk more about the audio book itself. I do a lot of driving at work so regularly listen to audio books to kill the boredom. The narrator Humphrey Bower is very talented he is incredibly good at the different accents you could tell instantly which of the many different characters were talking. It's by far the best audio book I have ever listened to and can't recommend it highly enough.

This book is epic. A surprising and emotive story.

This was a riveting story that had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed it. This book provided great insight to a culture that little is known about.

Um dos melhores livros que já li. Uma história real, que mostra cruamente a realidade de um fugitivo australiano que vai para a Índia. Enredo interessante, ainda mais sobre uma cultura e um modo de viver muito peculiar e há também muitas passagens que nos força a uma reflexão profunda. Recomendo demais!

Ein super Einstieg für eine geplante Indienreise oder auch Tiefgründiges für Indienfans! Menschlich bewegend sind die Erfahrungen und Erkenntnisse des Schriftstellers, der durch eigenes Leid seine innere Stärke gefunden hat!

Per carità, non voglio dire che sia mal scritto, ma questo verbosissimo libro che mi presenta solo situazioni estreme, in un'India cupa, maleodorante e disperata, con scene violente fino alla nausea, beh....mi sta stremando! Manca un terzo del libro, so che mi obbligherò a terminarlo, ma non lo sto amando. Se poi vogliamo proprio fargli le pulci, ogni tanto vengono propinate "perle di saggezza" new age, molto, molto banali e mi scopro a desiderare di accendere la TV: piattezza mentale colorata, almeno!

Shantaram, is at least in part an autobiographical novel, the first for Gregory David Roberts, an Australian prison escapee, and at one time Australia's most wanted man. He was an armed robber and a heroin addict, when he escaped from prison in the early 80's, with his fake passport in hand. Shantaram, is the Hindu name given to the narrator; it means "Man of God's peace". Throughout the novel, the narrator is also called Lin or Linbaba, a name given to him by a street guide who took a liking to him. Traveling through New Zealand, the narrator ends up in Bombay, and this novel incorporates the story of his life, and the ten years he spent in hiding in India. In Bombay he lives in a slum, founded a medical clinic to treat the poor for free, he joined the local mafia headed by Abdel Khader Khan, who helps this man on the run. Although most of his time is spent in India, his time on the lam had him fighting with the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan, and he also found time to fall in love. The book is full of colorful characters: Prabaker, the Indian street guide who takes a liking to Lin. Karla Saarenen, a Swiss-American woman who is running from a troubled past. Other characters include Quasim Ali, head of the slum, and let me not forget, Johnny Cigar. There was so much to love about this 933 page book (I also had the unabridged audio which was fantastic). This story has it all --intrigue, corruption, misery, humor, joy, pain and love. The writing is outstanding. As the narrator tells his story, he does so in such a way that you find yourself stopping to think and reflect about the way he has expressed complex emotional issues. Some of the scenes that took place in prison made me cringe, and yet they seem very realistic. In the end I felt like I had a much better understanding of the complexities of society in India in the 1980's. The ending was perfect, in my opinion. I could envision a sequel or a movie in the horizon. In real life, the author was recaptured and ordered to serve out the remainder of his nineteen year prison term. It was in prison that he wrote this novel. It took him thirteen years to write this as his first two drafts had been destroyed while he was serving his sentence. I selected a few favorite passages that really made an impact on me...... "Fate gives all of us three teachers, three friends, three enemies and three great loves in our lives. But these twelve are always disguised, and we can never know which one is which until we've loved them, left them, or fought them." "I clench my teeth against the stars. I closed my eyes. I surrendered to sleep. One of the reasons why we crave love, and seek it so desperately, is that love is the only cure for loneliness, and shame, and sorrow. But some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some of the truths about yourself are so painful that only shame can help you live with them. And some things are just so sad that only your soul can do the crying for you." "I'd always thought that fate was something unchangeable: fixed for every one of us at birth, and as constant as the circuit of the stars. But I suddenly realised that life is stranger and more beautiful than that. The truth is that, no matter what kind of game you find yourself in, no matter how good, or bad the luck, you can change your life completely with a single thought or a single act of love." Shantaram is a must read for so many reasons -- do not let the size of the book discourage you. This is sure to make my top 10 list for 2010.