""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
""Shantaram" has provided me with the richest reading experience to
date and I don''t expect anybody to unseat its all-round
performance for a long time. It is seductive, powerful, complex,
and blessed with a perfect voice. Like a voodoo ghost snatcher,
Gregory David Roberts has captured the spirits of the likes of
Henri Charriere, Rohinton Mistry, Tom Wolfe, and Mario Vargas
Llosa, fused them with his own unique magic, and built the most
gripping monument in print. The land of the god Ganesh has
unchained the elephant, and with the monster running amok, I
tremble for the brave soul dreaming of writing a novel about India.
Gregory David Roberts is a suitable giant, a dazzling guru, and a
genius in full."
- Moses Isegawa, author of "Abyssinian Chronicles "and "Snakepit"
"Shantaram is, quite simply, the 1001 Arabian Nights of the new
century. Anyone who loves to read has been looking for this book
all their reading life. Anyone who walks away from Shantaram
untouched is either heartless or dead or both. I haven''t had such
a wonderful time in years."
- Jonathan Carroll, author of "White Apples"
"Shantaram is dazzling. More importantly, it offers a lesson...that
those we incarcerate are human beings. They deserve to be treated
withdignity. Some of them, after all, may be exceptional. Some may
even possess genius."
- Ayelet Waldman, author of "Crossing the Park""Utterly unique,
absolutely audacious, and wonderfully wild, "Shantaram "is sure to
catch even the most fantastic of imaginations off guard."
---"Elle"
""
""Shantaram" had me hooked from the first sentence. [It]" "is
thrilling, touching, frightening...a glorious wallow of a
novel."
---"Detroit Free Press"
""
"[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"
"Inspired storytelling."
--"People"
""
"Vivid, entertaining. Its visceral, cinematic descriptive beauty
truly impresses."
--"USA"" Today"
""
"Few stand out quite like "Shantaram" ...nothing if not
entertaining. Sometimes a big story is its own best reward."
--"The New York Times"
..."very good...vast of vision and breadth."
--"Time Out"
"This massive autobiographical novel draws heavily from Roberts''
vida loca. Don''t let the size scare you away -" Shantaram" is one
of the most gripping tales of personal redemption you''ll ever
read."
--"Giant Magazine"
"This reviewer is amazed that Roberts is here to write anything.
Swallowed up by the abyss, somehow he crawled out intact....His
love for other people was his salvation...Powerful books can change
our lives. The potency of "Shantaram" is the joy of forgiveness.
First we must regret, then forgive. Forgiveness is a beacon in the
blackness."
--"Dayton"" Daily News"
""Shantaram" is loads of colorful fun, [it] rises to something
grand in its evocations of the pungent chaos of Bombay. "
--"Minneapolis"" Star Tribune"
""
""Shantaram" is a true epic. It is a huge, messy, over-the-top
irresistible shaggy-dog story."
--"The ""Seattle"" Times"