Shantaram

Shantaram, Book 1

By: Gregory David Roberts

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

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 19 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 10 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 listened to 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.

©2003 Gregory David Roberts (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"A literary masterpiece... it has the grit and pace of a thriller." (The Daily Telegraph)

"Shantaram is not so much a mirror as a mirror ball, spinning with relentless drive...Gloriously audacious." (Sydney Morning Herald)

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

Very interesting and worthy of a credit

Fascinating story that explores Indian society and human behaviour. Characters you care about - whether true or embellished this is a touching funny, shocking and sad tale that will capture your attention and make you think, laugh out loud and cry.
Looking forward to the sequel in 2023.

Beyond exceptional

A must read. It’s long but worth every exceptional minute. Do yourself a favour. Do your future self a favour. Listen to this book.

Excellent narrator, thrilling story

Sensational. Perhaps the best audiobook I have ever listened to. Narrators work is a masterpiece. Bravo!

Superb!

I’ve just finished Shantaram. The story and performance by both author and narrator are stunning and captivating. Can’t recommend enough!

Hard, Deviating, Loving

what an amazing book of struggle, love, connections, discovery of self and others. meaning of life and it's deeper parts. difficult at times with gruesome stories of struggle and strife. in the end meaning and purpose shine through. thanks Gregory for sharing your heart.