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Shantaram  By  cover art

Shantaram

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

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

Critic reviews

"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)

What listeners say about Shantaram

Average customer ratings
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Amazing story!

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

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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  • Overall
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Great book

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

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Epic and beautiful read

listened to this book a couple of years ago and loved it and decided to read it again. So very glad I did

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  • Overall
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addictive

now my favourite book! Take care this book is addictive and endless! just brilliant wow

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

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.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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1 person found this helpful