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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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incredible story!

each step an epic adventure! hopefully a movie will follow, I'd love to see the places Lyn-Babba describes!

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A story for the ages

Shantaram is a dizzying tale loosely based on actual events. Full of adventure, humor, horror, and beautiful prose. As great as the writing is the narration is on par with it. Thoroughly enjoyed

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Book was REALLY good until the end.

Great story line. The ending was not worth the long read.
Kept me very entertained during hours of work.
I recommend it!
The narrator is great!

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    3 out of 5 stars

An unusual view of a country's underbelly.

A convicted criminal escapes from Australia and joins the underbelly of India. His life is filled with criminal adventure, friends, lovers, war, drugs, incarcerations and a large dose of philosophy. The Indian culture and the various criminal scams are a major part of the story. They finance the main character and provide us with a view as seen by smugglers, counterfeiters, and other nefarious sectors in India. The philosophical forays can please and confound. It will depend on how the beliefs, opinions and notions match up with your pre determined views and your willingness to accept differences. It's 43 hours of listening so I found myself both glad and yet sad to hear it end. Cheers, Ken

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Very long epic story

Very good performance but what a long story! Full of tragedy violence drugs and sadnesses. Makes you realize how people live in the rest of the world! Fighting for everything just to survive! An intimate look at life in India!

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Best book, best narration ever!!!

I wish I was an eloquent writer in order to give this book the best possible review. I don't have the words to describe how great it is. It made me laugh and cry several times, and the writing is superb. I really enjoy reading actual books myself, but for this story you absolutely must listen to it, it is by far the best narration I have ever heard, and especially the main characters voice made the story come to life, much better than my imagined voices could have done.
this is a long, long story but I would have been happy if it continued for several more hours.
Listen to this audio book, you will not be sorry!

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Amazing story & absolutely unbelievable narrator!

I love Gregory's honest, stylistic, yet not-too-flashy style of writing. His story is absolutely incredible, and there is no better way to receive this story that from the voice of Humphrey Bower. He is SO GOOD at accents!!! SO GOOD!!

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extraordinary

Highly recommend this book. I am surprised I have not heard of it until now. I looking forward to reading it again.

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Absolutely delicious

Is GDR Steinbeck’s twin? Truly a work of art and the thought of possibly never reading it makes me sad and anxious.

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Literary Perfection

This book is an experience like no other. You will savor every word and be sad when it ends. Shows how love is more powerful than anger and fate has a little choice within. It is a long book and worth every minute.

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