Shantaram

Shantaram, Book 1

De: Gregory David Roberts

Narrado por: 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.

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...

©2003 Gregory David Roberts (P)2006 Black Stone Audio Inc

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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)

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.

Amazing

I love this book, read the paper version long ago. This audio version was so beautiful. The narrator was fantastic! He brings them all to life, and gives you the feeling of being present in the tale. Top marks both for the book and the narrator.

Great book

Well worth the listen, long but awesome story and I thoroughly enjoyed it all. 😀

Amazing experience

When I saw that the length of the book was 40+ hrs I didn't think I would have been able to finish it. In the end not only I finished it but I also hoped it would last some more. It's an amazing story made of love, different points of view, violence, crime, inequities, friendship and so much more. It's a personal and spiritual journey, and what better place than India for a spiritual journey.

Excellent overall

Loved every aspect of this book. The narrator was very consistent in his voices. The story was good, long but not boring or tedious. Just generally a good listen.

Epic Entertainment; Phenomenal Narration

What did you love best about Shantaram?

Hugely entertaining, you get totally immersed in his life and world.
Felt like I could have kept listening to his story forever, you almost forget it has to end some time.
The detail and length of the book makes you think it was written by someone who spent years in jail with nothing to do but write obsessively, day after day, year after year.
Oh right...
Just as well he's a great writer, with fascinating experiences to draw on and the imagination to fill it out with even more fascinating experiences.
Every one of the 42 hours is entertaining, which makes it probably the best value book I've ever listened to.

What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?

Hard to describe how phenomenally good the narration was.
This guy is the master of accents. There are dozens of characters, male and female, from many different countries, and he nails every single one of them brilliantly, every one of them totally distinct from the next.
Also brilliant when not doing dialogue, just narrating the story.
And he makes you like Lin, even though he spends a lot of the story doing very unlikeable things.
I was so impressed I immediately looked for other books he's done and got one straight away.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Prabaka is the standout character. Almost every time he speaks he makes you laugh.

Any additional comments?

The obvious comments which will have been said a thousand times before -
It's a little bit disturbing not knowing where the non-fiction blurs with the fiction, and lots of times when you think "come on, do you have to go quite so far into the realm of unbelievability?" But then again, maybe it's true.
And his casual acceptance of the psychopathic and barbarian behavior of his mafia friends, while making out that he's generally a decent guy himself.

Be prepared for the ultimate WTF?? When the book abruptly ends in what feels like the middle of a chapter, with several chapters still to go.
Did he suddenly get an early release and say - right, that's it, I'm over writing, can't do another word. Never mind the story's not finished?