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Shantaram  By  cover art

Shantaram

By: Gregory David Roberts
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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Publisher's summary

Based on his own extraordinary life, Gregory David Roberts’ Shantaram is a mesmerizing novel about a man on the run who becomes entangled within the underworld of 1980s Bombay—the basis for the Apple + TV series starring Charlie Hunnam.

“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.”

An escaped convict with a false passport, Lin flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of Bombay, where he can disappear. Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter the city’s hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere.

As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city’s poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power.

Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas—this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart.

©2003 Gregory David Roberts (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"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, and what Thoreau did for Walden Pond: He makes it an eternal player in the literature of the world." (Pat Conroy)

"[A] sprawling, intelligent novel…full of vibrant characters…the exuberance of his prose is refreshing…Roberts brings us through Bombay's slums and opium houses, its prostitution dens and ex-pat bars, saying, You come now. And we follow." (The Washington Post)

"Few stand out quite like Shantaram …nothing if not entertaining. Sometimes a big story is its own best reward." (The New York Times)

What listeners say about Shantaram

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A book everyone should experience!

Absolutely unbelievably beautiful and thought provoking! A book everyone needs to experience. It's a must listen/read

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Maybe my favorite in 15 years of listening!

I've been listening to Audible for over 15 years and this story is my all time favorite possibly only second to Les Miserable. a modern story of fantastic characters, great insight, the highest highs and lowest lows. Cons, thefts, black markets, fights, slums, gangs and wars. Hilarious dialogue, powerful emotions of love, hate, pain, friendships between characters in a a portrayal of India that is riveting. The reader is a master of accents and languages and there are MANY of them to love. I just finished listening to it the second time and all 40+ hours were a pleasure. An epic in every way.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Best performance ever

Although the story is excellent what really jumps out is the performance. I've never had a better narrated book.

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Best Audio Book Ever!!!!

The best audio book I have ever listened to. Humphrey Bowles narration is absolutely incredible. The writing is exquisite.

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Incredible.

This is such a monumental work that I couldn't possibly hope to describe it here. I will simply say that I absolutely loved it, so if you're on the fence, just go for it! You'll be glad you did.

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    5 out of 5 stars

it was superb

loved the book. makes me want to go to India and I hate Indian food

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Best book I've read in a long long time.

Great story & spectacular performance. And love that the story was so long! Really really wonderful.

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One of the best!

I fell in love with every character and loved and died with them. I never wanted this story to end! The author did such a magnificent weaving of the story and the narrator was perfect!

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Everyone should read this book

This is a book about love, hatred, crime, religion, philosophy... everything. You will be horrified, heartbroken, happy, mesmerized and grateful. This book brings it all and I can not recommend it more, this is a must-read.

As if the writing is not good enough the performance of the narrator brings this one to another level. I especially appreciate the acting in the comedic moments and the indian accent.

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Absolutely one of the best!

My god, this is an incredible novel!
It will grab ahold of you and won’t let go until it is done. There is an endearing character that is my favorite ever and the main character is a remarkable man. You’ll love this book!
Wonderfully narrated also!

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