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Shantaram: A Novel

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About this Book

Trade Paperback

944 Pages, 5.5 x 8.2 x 1.6 in

October 19, 2005

St. Martin's Press


0312330537
9780312330538

From the Publisher

"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."So begins this epic, mesmerizing first novel set in the underworld of contemporary Bombay. Shantaram is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of a city where he can disappear.Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter Bombay''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. Based on the life of the author, it is by any measure the debut of an extraordinary voice in literature.

From the Critics

""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"

From The Community

Who's Listing it as a Top TenWhat's this?

This title has appeared in 11 Top Ten lists. See the most recent lists below:

Who's BloggingWhat's this?

This title has been mentioned in 2 blogs. See the most recent posts below:

5

Reviews from the Community12 Reviews

  • Stacers

    Stacers

    Amazing 5

    3 weeks ago

    One of the most brilliant books I have ever read. I definitly recommend it.

  • D Araiche

    D Araiche

    A Great Travel 4

    2 months ago

    I so enjoyed this book. Roberts gave me a taste of India that I haven't encountered in other books as well as a look at the seamier side of life. Roberts writes well and is humourous in his ability to try to replicate some of the cultural nuances he encounters. Close to the end of the book, the story seemed to veer off track, but then righted itself for the ending. A very enjoyable read.

  • DooBeeDooBeeDoo

    DooBeeDooBeeDoo

    Good but great? I dont know.... 4

    4 months ago

    If the authors autobiography is to be believed, this book is an amazing achievement and really worth the read. I did enjoy most of it. I felt it was a very good book but not over the top great. At about a thousand pages long, whole sections could have been left out without ruining the core story. Or at very least split it into a separate book. The first 100 pages weren’t entirely smooth but serve to set up the characters and a bit of the story line. The next 500 pages were exceptional in… read more

  • Julie S.

    Julie S.

    A novel of epic proportions 4

    5 months ago

    Wow. This is a huge read. Vibrant and grand, it is a vivid tale (VERY auto-biographical, in my opinion...how could it not be??) of personal experience and action set mostly in Bombay. I was thrilled to discover that it is in production and will be released with Johnny Depp as the lead in '10. Totally impressed that this is Roberts' first attempt at writing.

  • melanie dutchyshen

    melanie dutchyshen

    Love at first sentence!! 5

    8 months ago

    This book is a must read for anyone. I fell in love with its characters instantly. Especially Prabaker!! He was definately my favorite. Gregory David Roberts is a fantastic writer. It really felt like I was in India. I could see the sights, hear the sounds and smell the city. It made me fall in love with the country and made me excited to go and experience it myself.

see all 12 reviews

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