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Shantaram

Shantaram, Book 1

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Shantaram

By: Gregory David Roberts
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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About this listen

In a spectacular 43 hours of storytelling, Gregory David Roberts and narrator Humphrey Bower take listeners on a rollercoaster of a journey through the streets and slums of India. Vivid and lyrical, some have gone so far as to call Shantaram a literary masterpiece.

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 Action & Adventure Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Psychological Thriller & Suspense Fiction Exciting Heartfelt Funny

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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)
“At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.” ( Time Out)
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Words fail to describe how good this book is!! It is 43 hours long and I loved every minute. I can honestly say that there was not a moment that I was not gripped with this epic drama.

The story is set in India and is about an Australian fugitive and the friendships he makes with people in the slums, the local mafia and other foreign nationals. This book is based on
the life of the author who did all those things. It is unclear how much is fact and how much is fiction. However, I am sure that the author's experience contributes to the life-like characters and the feeling that you are in the heart of India as the story unfolds.

The book is a literary work of genius. Wonderfully written. There were so many thought-provoking moments.

The narration is brilliant and the narrator slips easily into the Hindi and Marathi. It is true that he does not express the voices of women as well, but this did not disrupt my enjoyment of this book. I believe this book took 13 years to write and you will be able to see why.

I loved it! Loved it ! Loved it!

This is a wonderful book, a masterpiece that is made up the stories of so many different characters that are all closely woven together, in a beautiful, colourful, warm, blanket. I can see why this book is an international bestseller.

This book is highly recommended! Do not be put off by the size of it, you will not be disappointed.

AN ABSOLUTELY, MAGNIFICENT , MASTERPIECE!!

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This book came to me at a time when I didn’t know it was what I needed. It was the most stunning, passionate, moving, vibrant, intricate and inventive story I have ever heard and it will mean a great deal to me for the rest of my life, I think. I was writing down quotes as I went and it was narrated exceptionally beautifully. I narrate audiobooks so I have extremely high expectations for how well it must be done, and for me, this felt like a masterclass, the standard of which I will aspire to reach in my own work. If you are hurting, if you have regrets, if you are soul searching or lost, or if you just bloody love India, I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. The way it intwines deep philosophical intellect and discussion into a thrilling, page turning plot without distracting, or being indulgent, but making it relevant to every move every character makes, and expanding the minds of the reader along the way, is quite astonishing. I am so glad I chose to listen to this book.

Changed my life

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Firstly hats off to Humphrey Bower what an amazing narrator breathing life into this book.

This book was a rollercoaster adventure of a chaotic life in India more specifically Bombay and the mafia that controls it.
Some of the book I feel was written and remembered in a drug infused haze, but was very philosophical.
Mr Roberts descriptions were often over the top, with more adjectives than you could cook dinner with.
There were parts of the story that were unbelievable, when he saved someones life performng CPR, he had just previously described the person as blue with rigor mortis!
Never the less it was still an excellent book. I still feel there are questions as to what happened next, and also what of his past life and family in Australia now?

Inside the Bombay Mafia

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Having read the gushing reviews prior to listening to this Tome of a story, I'm guessing I'm in the minority in finding any fault, but Shantaram is, for me, a book with a split personality.
The wonderful, colourful description of India and her characters, was so incredibly believable and beautiful, whilst also cruel, seedy and hard, that I fell in love with some of them (especially Prabaker) & was (almost) ready to move to the slums :) The book moved me to tears and laughter & it kept me interested, for the most part.

However, whenever Lin featured alone too heavily, it was like reading the Tales of Walter Mitty. I know it's based on Robert's own story, but I'm guessing he 'embroidered' just a tad!
Without giving too much away, the beatings were ridiculous and when you get to the end of the book & actually list his achievements, the 6 Million Dollar man or The Terminator would have had their work cut out.
Added to that, when Robert's writes of 'Love' (so many, many, many times, with so many, many, many similies) or God forbid when he writes a sex scene, it was so cringingly bad, yet, he seemed to attract the ladies like flies around a honey pot.

The saving Grace was the narration by Humphrey Bower, which made the book for me. He is so gifted in both his story telling and with his accents, that every character came to life and was memorable.




Fantastic narration of some wonderful characters

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Absolutely captivated by the first half. For me it lost its intensity once he went to Afghanistan. I think it could have been more powerful if it were more tightly edited, but still, an incredibly impressive epic with some beautiful poetry. The narration, with all the different accents, is also highly impressive.

A long journey, but worth the ride

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An excellent novel with vivid descriptions n clear chapters. Very gripping story. A real page turner.

Emotional, captivating n endearing read!

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loved it. life changing. one of the best books I read!!!! would definitely recommend it

next level reading

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A long and compelling story, very entertaining. At times it had me laughing out loud, or brought tears to my eyes, or simply irritated me.

I do recommend this book, but it gets my seemingly standard warning concerning the level if sermonising. My conclusion is that authors' often have a condescending attitude towards their readers' intelligence, whereas I think that I, like most people, get the point the first time and don't need to have it spelled out every hour. The repetition just gets irritating.

The other element that got on my nerves was the constant use if needless metaphors in the writing style like the itch in the centre of your back which is just out of reach.

The joy of metaphors.

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great great great book, fine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
book very interesting.

very fine book

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I can honestly say that this is one of the most impressive books I have come across. The narrator was unflagging in his exceptional delivery. Many congrats to all concerned.

What sheer brilliance!

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