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Gregory David Roberts

Shantaram Kindle Edition

by Gregory David Roberts (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

7,530 ratings

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"A publishing phenomenon" Sunday Times

It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured.

Shantaram is a novel based on the life of the author, Gregory David Roberts. In 1978 Roberts was sentenced to nineteen years imprisonment as punishment for a series of robberies of building-society branches, credit unions, and shops he had committed while addicted to heroin. In July 1980 he escaped from Victoria's maximum-security prison in broad daylight, thereby becoming one of Australia's most wanted men for what turned out to be the next ten years. For most of this period he lived in Bombay. He set up a free health clinic in the slums, acted in Bollywood movies, worked for the Bombay mafia as a forger, counterfeiter, and smuggler and, as a gun-runner, resupplied a unit of mujaheddin guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan. This is the setting of Shantaram.

Apart from having this highly unusual personal background, Greg Roberts is a very gifted writer. His book is a blend of vivid dialogue, unforgettable characters, amazing adventures, and superb evocations of Indian life. It can be read as a vast, extended thriller, as well as a superbly written meditation on the nature of good and evil. It is a compelling tale of a hunted man who had lost everything - his home, his family, and his soul - and came to find his humanity while living at the wildest edge of experience.

Gregory David Roberts retired from public life in 2014 to devote time to his family and new writing projects.

The Mountain Shadow, sequel to Shantaram, is available now.

PRAISE FOR SHANTARAM

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

"Powerful and original ... a remarkable achievement" Sunday Telegraph

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

"At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision." Time Out

Fans of Vikram Seth, John Irving and David Mitchell will love Shantaram.

Length: 1049 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled	Language: English

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

Powerful and original ... a remarkable achievement (Sunday TELEGRAPH )

Extraordinarily vivid ... a gigantic, jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga (DAILY MAIL )

A publishing phenomenon (SUNDAY TIMES ) --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Back Cover

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

'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 solider. 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

'Extraordinary vivid . . . a gigantic, jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga' Daily Mail

'Powerful and original . . . a remarkable achievement' Sunday Telegraph

'Vivid and compassionate . . . impressive' Guardian

'A publishing phenomenon' Sunday Times

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN : B003R50FRI
Publisher : Picador Australia (1 July 2009)
Language : English
File size : 1518 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 1049 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 2,781 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 308 in Contemporary Fiction (Kindle Store)

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elizabeth

Famous book but annoying writing

Reviewed in Australia on 26 July 2018

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This story about a philosophising armed robber who goes to war, sets up a clinic, is vegetarian, donates blood and runs to Bombay is hard work. The narrator has too much to say about everything. All the man big characters are men. The few Women are two dimensional. Everyone’s eyes are mentioned over and over. The head criminal is described as so intelligent and religious but is just making money out of criminals. Very self indulgent

3 people found this helpful

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Dr G.

The one holiday read you need

Reviewed in Australia on 3 May 2020

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This is a big - thick book, the type you would beat an intruder with if you grabbed it and it would hurt be it the hardback or the paperback. Coming in at 933 pages if you take this book on holiday you will have to sacrifice packing a pair of shoes. That said, it is worth it - you wouldn't have worn those shoes anyway. This is also a book that I do not think would work well on Kindle - no, it's a hold and read book, lay down and think about what you have just read book, a re-read over that chapter again book - for it is an autobiographical novel by a man known for ten years as Australia's most wanted man. Roberts takes us to the highs and lows of Bombay/Mumbai where he had sought shelter after escaping from Australian prison. In the years that he was in India, he participated in a plethora of activities, from setting up a free medical clinic for the slum poor, to associating with the Bombay Mafia, and being put in Bombay jail. Through it all runs his love for one woman, a woman who sometimes not worthy of that vastness of love, and who sometimes leads him down the path of great troubles. The reader will be glad to know that whilst the novel is autobiographical, Roberts captured in Germany and returns to Australia to finish his sentence - and write this book. Highly recommended.

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Helen Devitt

Fabulous

Reviewed in Australia on 17 October 2019

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A must read. Loved it, loved it, loved it! At least I loved the first 3/4 of this mammoth read. Last 200 pages I found rather predictable sadly. However Roberts continued to keep me awake flipping pages to the very end. Initially a cold hearted Pentridge Prison escapee, Roberts is somewhat morally transformed by the tumultuous street life of Bombay. His friendships and benevolence with and for the natives of the slums are profoundly heart warming. Conversely he slides easily into the harsh malevolence of the Bombay crime world. Strangely there is still something likeable and worthy in Roberts and his crime characters.

One person found this helpful

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James Parsons

A recommended read.

Reviewed in Australia on 3 March 2019

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A beautiful observation of India and the Indian people woven into to a fabulous story of individual triumph, destruction, love and tragedy. The story is bought to life through a rich set of characters and events that you have read about in the history books but come to realise you barely understand. Global politics played out at the individual level and wrapped up in the complexity that could only be created in a billion plus person county like India.

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Jacotte

The awfulness and joy of India

Reviewed in Australia on 23 September 2018

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What a mammoth story of India! Highly recommended for atmosphere as understood by a feringhi, whatever his degree of reality. Once you recognise the tropes of the hero's goodness, suffering and philosophy, you don't need to read to the very end. It's a good book to read electronically; the hard copy weighs a ton.

One person found this helpful

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Brent Taylor

Shantatam - I Couldn't Put It Down

Reviewed in Australia on 14 June 2019

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What an amazing story, providing a wonderful insight into the Indian culture, and the ever present world of crime in Bombay. Also, a story of acceptance of an Australian fugitive into the lives of the locals. Many interesting sub plots throughout. You will not be disappointed. You should read this book!

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Rob Barron

Have a good dictionary at your elbow, you will need it.

Reviewed in Australia on 17 January 2020

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A highly readable tome. I thought I had a good vocabulary but Gregory Roberts puts me to shame. My Oxford Dictionary could not help me with many the words he uses. The anti-heroes he creates weave so many clever philosophical phrases into their conversations I wish I had written them all down. I particularly liked "It is not the sin in the crime but the crime in the sin." I flew through the 933 pages, enjoying every one of them.

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Betty Mathews

Sleeplessness in the night

Reviewed in Australia on 2 February 2019

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Many a night with no sleep. Just so excited to read this story. Anxious to leave work to get to the next chapter. This was an exciting, emotional, and tearsome book I have read so far. Will be sure to read more books from this author. I would like to thank you for publishing a great book

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philip

Annoying Disneyfied read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 April 2019

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This book was recommended and for the first 10% of the book I was really enjoying the story and the detail about the author's first few weeks in India. I have visited India many times and related to the chaos and sheer vitality of the place. However, I quickly became annoyed with the boundless egotism of the author. Everyone he meets admires him! The poor are all noble and happy and forever smiling through their sufferings. Endless life-affirming advice and anecdotes became tiresome. It reads like a Disneyfied version of a real life experience. I struggled on to 25% on my Kindle but finally gave up when one of his many many new friends arranged for two bear handlers to bring him a real bear to give him a bear hug (the author had complained about missing bear hugs in Australia and his new Indian friend had misinterpreted the reference). Really!

31 people found this helpful

Nikkike

One of my favourite ever books!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2017

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One of the best books I've ever read (and I've read quite a few!) It has such rich descriptions and characters that you feel you're there every step of the way. I went through the whole gamut of emotions and was left with a real urge to visit the places and see the sights for myself. The author obviously has such a genuine love for the country and its people, which was apparent on every page. I've gifted this book to many friends and will continue to do so. It's wonderful!

31 people found this helpful

charlie k

Brilliant read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 February 2019

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I never heard of this guy before. This book was a word of mouth suggestion by someone who I've actually forgotten! Quite long at over 900 pages but worth the read. Reading this book is an experience of the trials and tribulations of Shantaram. His Indian nickname. From the Mumbai slums to the mountains of Afghanistan and everywhere else in between, this book is part truth part fiction. The story of a reformed heroin addict who escapes prison in Australia and travels to India to try to begin a new life. He's a reformed character in more ways than one. Apparently he tried to write this book three times and even spent time in an Indian prison, all the while being subjected to severe beatings by his captors. I think for this alone, it's worth the effort to read as the effort he had to publish it! Unfortunately the follow up The Mountain Shadow isn't as great. If you want to finish the story

14 people found this helpful

Damo inc.

This book is superb

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 December 2018

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After 2 years, I've finally just finished this book (I'm not a big reader)... it is a brilliant book. It is beautifully written, a masterclass in EQ in terms of self understanding and language. The story is exciting and you care about the characters.

It is a long book, and I wonder if Robert's, the writer, could have achieved in 400 pages what has taken him 800+ pages - however it is a book that keeps your attention in both its story, and the beauty of how its told.

Defo recommend this book, you're in for a hell of a ride.

The ending is really nice too, a bit of closure.

11 people found this helpful

P G.

Too long

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2018

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I read this because someone else suggested it. But after having read it in full, I have discovered that the book is long winded slow at times unnecessary detail drags little doesn’t have a proper closure or ending leaves too many loose ties ends, overall I am very disappointed in the quality of the book, after reading 900 pages, I expected a lot more. Give it a miss. Quite frankly after having read it the book seems pointless, what needed to be told could’ve been told in one chapter the rest is just waffle. Don’t bother reading it.

14 people found this helpful

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