Shantaram

Shantaram, Book 1

By: Gregory David Roberts

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld

'A literary masterpiece... at once erudite and intimate, reflective and funny... it has the grit and pace of a thriller' Daily Telegraph
'A publishing phenomenon' Sunday Times
'A gigantic, jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga' Daily Mail

'In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts, an armed robber and heroin addict, escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. There, he established a free health clinic and also joined the mafia, working as a money launderer, forger and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi, fall in love, and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then, in case anyone thought he was slacking, he acted in Bollywood and fought with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan... Amazingly, Roberts wrote Shantaram three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It's a profound tribute to his willpower... At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.' Time Out©2003 Gregory David Roberts

Critic reviews

A literary masterpiece... at once erudite and intimate, reflective and funny... it has the grit and pace of a thriller

Powerful and original... a remarkable achievement

A publishing phenomenon

Extraordinarily vivid... a gigantic, jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga

Utterly unique, absolutely audacious and wonderfully wild, Shantaram is sure to catch even the most fantastic of imaginations off guard

[A] sprawling, intelligent novel... full of vibrant characters... the exuberance of his prose is refreshing

Vivid, entertaining... Its visceral, cinematic descriptive beauty truly impresses

Few stand out quite like Shantaram... nothing if not entertaining... Sometimes a big story is its own reward

Very good... vast of vision and breadth

It has a heartfelt, cinemascope feel... A sensational read

[A] jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga of lives laid bare

A curious mixture of adventure story and travelogue... [a] vivid and compassionate panorama of the places and people he encounters

[An] elegantly written, page-turning blockbuster... splendidly evoking an India few outsiders know

Shantaram is a novel of the first order, a work of extraordinary art, a thing of exceptional beauty. If someone asked me what the book was about, I would have to say everything, every thing in the world. Gregory David Roberts does for Bombay what Lawrence Durrell did for Alexandria, what Melville did for the South Seas, what Thoreau did for Walden Pond: he makes it an eternal player in the literature of the world

Shantaram has provided me with the richest reading experience to date and I don't expect anybody to unseat its all-round performance for a long time. It is seductive, powerful, complex, and blessed with a perfect voice. Like a voodoo ghost snatcher, Gregory David Roberts has captured the spirits of the likes of Henri Charriere, Rohinton Mistry, Tom Wolfe, and Mario Vargas Llosa, fused them with his own unique magic, and built the most gripping monument in print... Gregory David Roberts is a suitable giant, a dazzling guru, and a genius in full

Shantaram is, quite simply, the Arabian Nights of the new century. Anyone who loves to read has been looking for this book all their reading life. Anyone who walks away from Shantaram untouched is either heartless or dead or both. I haven't had such a wonderful time in years

Shantaram is dazzling. More importantly, it offers a lesson... that those we incarcerate are human beings. They deserve to be treated with dignity. Some of them, after all, may be exceptional. Some may even possess genius

Best book I've ever read

The metaphors are briliant. the narator is perfect for the role and this book came alive in not just my mind but also my heart.

Recommended for all.

A true masterpiece

What did you love best about Shantaram?

This book surely has one of the best performances by it's narrator of any audio book, the characters were brought to life beautifully and visually, quite stunning.
The story is magnificent but like any true work of brilliance it would not be possible to do it justice with a mere description.

What other book might you compare Shantaram to and why?

I honestly can't think of one, I consider myself quite well read and this book is right up there with the best of them

Which scene was your favorite?

There are several moments which show true insight, the entire book is a pleasure to read

Who was the most memorable character of Shantaram and why?

So many fantastic characters, Prabaka must be one of the most memorable ~ I can see his smile ;)

Any additional comments?

Don't hesitate, this is one of the truly great audio books and I've read many of them. The performance alone is worth a listen.

What a book, what a performance!

What a great book! I've never read a book so interesting. The story is extremely exciting and you really learn to love the characters. I love it!

If you pass this book by, you'll really miss out.

It is a bit far fetched

Entertaining story if you can get past the fact that the story teller is a very tough guy with a real liking for poetic prose! Just doesn't come across as feasible.

Amazing story!

Amazing story. beautifully written and told. makes me wondering what I am doing with my life.