Shantaram: A Novel

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts By Michael Hooper Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is an epic story about one man’s struggle for freedom, friendship, adventure, love, camaraderie, peace and redemption. The book is about a man who escapes a prison in Australia and moves to Bombay, where he reinvents himself. He calls himself Lin, which is the name on his fake passport. In Bombay, he falls into a crowd of expatriates and slum dwellers. One of the first people he meets is Prabakar, a runner/salesman, who meets tourists at train stations, and brings them to hotels and restaurants and takes a cut from the proprietors. He also helps them exchange money, and score hashish. Prabakar takes a liking to Lin and recruits him into his business as a runner helping tourists. Prabaker calls him Linbaba. I can relate to this job because I worked as a runner helping tourists find hotel rooms in Athens, Greece, when I was a young man. Prabakar introduces Lin to his mother, who gives him a new name Shantaram, which means man of peace. Although he is not afraid to fight for his freedom, it seems that Lin is struggling for peace and redemption. He had been a heroin addict in Australia, where he lost his wife and child in a divorce. He was arrested for burglary and armed robbery, put in jail but he escapes over the wall and travels to Bombay. In Bombay, he falls in love with the city, the first thing he notices is its smell, "its sweet sweating smell of hope" and its "sour stifled smell of greed." One of my favorite places in the book is Leopold’s, a coffee shop bar where he and his friends meet on a regular basis to talk about politics and business and gossip. There he meets people like Karla and Didier Levy, Vickram and Ulla. His friend Prabakar invites him to live in the slum with him and his family. There he sees great need for medical care, and he starts a free medical clinic. Needing antibiotics and other medical supplies he makes a connection with the lepers of Bombay, who somehow acquire these medical supplies and sell them to him at a discount. He is not a medical doctor, but they call him a doctor. He’s actually trained in ambulatory care He helps people get through many struggles, cuts, bruising, inflections and an outbreak of cholera. Love is an abiding theme in this book, there is brotherly love, the love of friends and camaraderie, and the love of a father, or a father figure and romantic love. He falls in love with Karla, who is a very mysterious person with a past in Europe and America. She speaks multiple languages and blends in beautifully into the Bombay lifestyle. Lin is enchanted with her green eyes and beautiful hair and lovely clothing but perhaps most of all he is curious about her mysterious history. His love for Karla is complex taking on various forms -- from friendship to making love to her on a beach under moonlight. He loves their ability to talk for hours and connect. This book is one part James Michener and one part Ernest Hemingway and another part uniquely Australian. It captures the pure Wonderlust of Australians. I’ve met so many Australians, who have traveled the world, they’ve been everywhere and done all kinds of different things. The author Gregory David Roberts wrote this book so well because he lived it. He actually did lose his wife and child, while addicted to heroin and getting busted for armed robbery and ending up in jail in Australia. He broke out of jail and went to Bombay to start his life all over again. One of the most powerful man in Bombay is Abdel Khader Khan, a poet, philosopher and lord of gang of people who work in the black market trades, false passport industry, the gold trade, and the money exchange trade. Lin works for Khader Khan, who wants him to learn everything about his business.The book goes into detail on how his goondas make money in these trades. Abdel Kader Khan believes there are various levels of evil depending on the sin. Some sins are worse than others. Lin is really amazed at the man’s commanding presence and ability to generate extreme loyalty. While working in the false passport trade with two specialists, Lin acquires for himself about five passports. When someone’s visa is out of order, they could fix that with a specialty stamp. Lin goes to great links for Khader Khan. Another fascinating character in the book is Didier Levy, a 35 year old French Jew, who is a wonderful gossip talk head, who spends a lot of time at Leopold‘s, drinking alcohol and talking with friends, and watching business transact all around them, and getting a cut here and there from some of this business. He talks about the hashish trade and the local gangsters. And he talks about Karla. He says she has the power to make men shine like the stars, or crush them to dust. Karla and Didier once lived together for about a year in Bombay sharing a crazy fractured little apartment. Page 58. There are many funny and shocking stories in the book, including a description of how the locals in Bombay treat a person who is at fault for a car accident. The locals actually drag the driver out of the car and beat him up. There's also an endearing story about a beloved bear who gets locked up in prison. His caretakers stay in prison with him, so he is not lonely. Perhaps my favorite theme in the book is camaraderie among friends, especially when they gather at Leopold’s. I believe every person needs a group of friends. It’s tough being alone in this world, indeed it's even tougher when you are in a foreign country and you don't know anybody. There is some evidence that a person will live longer if they have regular contact with people. I go to a local coffee two or three times a week to visit with my friends. My comrades there are very special to me. Yet Leopold's is a different kind of place, because it attracts people from all walks of life, Greeks, Germans, Italians, Franch, American, Indian, and Iranians, and Afghans and Arabs and Africans all gathering at this place. There’s nothing quite like it in Topeka, but when I was in Barcelona in 1990 I fell into a crowd of expatriates. I was walking along Las Ramblas, enjoying the sights of people and places along this famous boardwalk. I saw a group of young men led by a tall, gregarious man. He said hello to me, and I said hello back and he asked if I were English, I said America. He asked, "Do you get high?" and I said, "yes," and he said "follow me." We ended at a coffee shop in a Square just off Las Ramblas, where we drank beer and smoked spliff’s. Perhaps my favorite birthday was when I announced that in five minutes, I would be 27 years old. Everybody started singing, happy birthday to me and sharing drinks and joints. We stayed up all night partying and I ended up sleeping on the beach with my comrade Eamon strumming his guitar. It was one of the most exhilarating, romantic, and illuminating experiences in my life. Shantaram is a huge book at 933 pages. I enjoyed 95% of it. There is some warlord gang fighting that occurs toward the end of the book and this seems to drag on for a while but all in all, I enjoyed the book very much Shantaram is on Apple TV. The 12 part miniseries is fantastic, but unfortunately was discontinued. I believe Gregory David Roberts was involved in writing the script. In some ways, the book is much better with more detail about life in India. There is a great deal of charity in the soul of Linbaba, he is always trying to support his friends, and the poor people who live in the slums. I think the spirit of Linbaba is a man who loves people, who cares about the suffering in the world. Shantaram is an appropriate name for this evolving man of the world.

The book is named Shantaram and I have burned through its 936 pages in about two weeks. If you don't know the book. it is based on the author's Gregory David Roberts own true story of his escaped from a Maximum Security Prison in Australia, and subsequent travel to India to find refuge among slums dwellers and the Mafia of Bombay. In Mumbai (Bombay), as a fugitive, with a new identity "Lin" (Roberts), as protagonist lives out an extensional quest for survival, freedom, and redemption so profound, that to set such experiences into an active first person narrative, and place it within the context of the authors own intense confessions as well as an esoteric yet rigorous philosophical cosmology constitutes one of the rarest forms of literary expression. Yet Robert's managed the feat while running a medical clinic in one of the cities darkest slums and inhabiting the Bombay underworld, associating with the most amazing cast of anti-heroes and hoods. The sacred and profane populate this novel; gangsters, gurus, thieves, standing Babas, Sufis, sinners, saints, European ex-pats are all among the odd assortment of humanity who find a home within. The plot follows Lin through a series of most fantastic adventures and incredible experiences only possible in India, or ecstatic realizations among unspeakable deprivations. This is a book about crime and its more unspeakable punishment, of despair and hope, love and betrayal. His friendships with India and its villagers, slum dwellers, sages, and his trusty companion Prabu are deeply poignant, joyful and heart wrenching. The author's deep affection for the people of the subcontinent breaths through his every word. The story is also at times even absurdly comic ( ex. A Bombay drug store cowboy decked out in black leather and a stetson, who speaks Danish, a Mumbai police hunt for a giant bear). The author even takes on roles in the Bollywood film industry, and in one of the more breath taking narrations he follows his fellow gangsters to fight in the mountains of Afghanistan as a Mujahadeen warrior (impersonating a CIA agent). As all experiences in India the events unfold in a wholly paradoxical matter full of intrigue and surprises where nothing turns out exactly as one would expect, for in a world of Maya nothing is really as it seems. The author has the rare gift to show the "the authentic face of India"; as Janus as that maybe. A country which if you travel as a tourist seems to offer you a different profile at almost every turn and encounter. In Shantaram one experiences India across the entire spectrum of its extremes, her dark brutal secret of hopelessness and wrath, as well as the fathomless compassion which sparks the flame of hope to burn eternally within her multitudes of beings. This is no where as well illustrated then in his description of the head of one of Bombay mafia family, Khader Kahn, a gangster and guru like figure with a spiritual philosophy based on modern physics and a view not unlike Teilhard De Chardin which concerns the evolution of the universe heading toward a state of maximum complexity which he terms: "God." The writing is so genuine, passionate and sincere, in its description of the tumultuous life of India's largest city and all the eccentric characters who fill it, that this in itself is worth the price of the ticket to Shantaram. No doubt, Shantaram along with some of the recent plethora of great English novels from subcontinent writers has helped to establish Mumbai and her characters as one of the worlds great literary settings of the early 21st century. The story is finally about the author's spiritual transformation and search for redemption in part as he pursues his underworld Anima, the beautiful and mysterious emerald eyed Karla, a Swiss/American also on the run, who devours novels by such authors as Mann, Schiller, Flaubert and Virgina Woolf, in their original language, and spews forth her own experiences of the fringes, in koan like musings while wandering stealthily among the teeming streets of Mumbai to facilitate the trade of guns, money, identity, and espionage. The author managed to contemplate the narrative while he was serving two years of a seven year sentence in an Australian maximum security prison while in solitary confinement. Anyway this is great novel, I was hooked from the book's first sentence and literally could not put it down. Here is how the first sentence reads: "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 the wall and being tortured. I realized, somehow, through the screaming in my mind, that even in that shackled , bloody helplessness, I was still free to hate the men who were torturing me, or to forgive them." (Amazingly after Roberts recorded the events in this book, he ran underworld missions in Sri Lanka, Zaire, Singapore, Italy, and was finally recaptured in Germany where he was fronting as singer for a Rock band. He was then sent back to Australia to serve out his remaining prison sentence. [...] ( It appears that soon the story will be heading to the cinema as Johnny Depp has bought the rights and he is conspiring with Russell Crowe to make the film. Thankfully Roberts is working on the screenplay.)

Reading “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts was one wild and crazy roller coaster ride. “Shantaram” is a stranger than fiction autobiography of a young Australian man bearing a false New Zealand passport that gives his name as “Lindsay” who flies to Bombay some time in the early ’80s. On his first day there, Lindsay meets the two people who will largely influence his fate in the city. One is a young tour guide, Prabaker, whose gifts include a large smile and an unstoppably joyful heart. The second is Karla, a beautiful Swiss-American woman with sea-green eyes and a circle of expatriate friends. Lin’s love for Karla—and her mysterious inability to love in return—gives the book its central tension. For a 995 page- book it will seem quite intimidating for any one, however, once you start reading it you will definitely be transfixed by the characters, the language and the thought provoking and inspiring stories within it. While reading the first two parts of the book, I found it not only beautiful in its words and the poetry within the authors prose but also inspiring. I had already decided that it is a life-changing inspiring and motivating book, until I reached the next parts where my feelings towards the book, “Lin” and other characters changed dramatically. But isn’t this how life really is? Characters and people change, develop, and mature due to different circumstances, which makes the book more realistic, even more realistic than most of the readers can handle. I guess that is the reason why this book had as many negative reviews as good ones. It is notable though that the majority of the negative reviews I read where based on the personality of the main character “Lindsay” rather than the book itself and the story as a whole. The timeline of the story moves forward chronologically, and takes place in different cities, and countries starting from Bombay; the city our main character falls deeply in love with, to Pakistan and Afghanistan. The poetic prose in this book deepens whenever he talks about any of his loves; his love for Karla, his love for his good friend and brother Prabaker, his love for his friends, love for the man he wishes to be his father, love for the city, love for all humanity and love for life. If you ever thought otherwise, let me tell you this: this story is definitely and without a doubt a love story of different dimensions. The plots are several and endless, up to the last page plots are still there keeping you engaged. As a matter of fact this might be consider one of the few flaws I found in this book is that it ends leaving you with several unanswered questions and untied knots. Confusing, as I can’t tell was it because he wrote more but manuscript was lost/ damaged or he just felt that this is enough for the reader. I know 995 pages is already a little too much, but I think it could have been edited to end it in a better way and keep it within a reasonable number of pages. This book definitely had a major effect on me, the smart and intellectual conversations between “Lin” and “Khader Khan” came to me at precisely the right time when I was having all of these existential questions roaming in my head. These conversations inspired me and enlightened me in some way. Lin’s story in general was inspiring in different ways, his love for the people around him and his unbounded kindness will leave you rethinking your life and your attitude towards people. Love and gratitude is all what you’ll be thinking about while flipping the pages of this book. Rating this book is undeniably challenging, there were parts where I would give it 1/5, whereas in other parts I would crown it as the best book ever to be written. I guess that’s what makes good art; the way it fills you up with volatile and perplexed feelings, and usually that is the reason why I would love a good book. I love books that makes me ponder and think about life while reading it and maybe even, ask mind blowing questions or take some life changing decisions. Shantaram is that kind of book. “every human heart beat is a universe of possibilities.” As a poet and lover of words and language I am inclined to rate this book at no less than 4/5 and highly recommend it to be read; because even if you didn’t love it as much as I did or enjoy it as much, it will without a question leave a mark on your soul. “But the soul has no culture. The soul has no nations. The soul has no colour or accent or way of life. The soul is forever. The soul is one. And when the heart has its moment of truth and sorrow, the soul can’t be stilled.”

Hard to put down! Entertaining descriptive writing. Well thought out storyline. Made me want to visit the people and places in India.

I picked this book up on a sale table at a book store after passing it twice. It had a beautiful cover of an old, Indian-looking, stone building along a shore. Bombay. But the size was intimidating to this slow reader, 933 pages! I asked the woman on staff with whom I always have good conversations if she read it. She highly recommended it. Then, later I decided to get the audio and e-book, because the book was so heavy. So glad I did; first, because the book would be so uncomfortable to try to hold for any length of time, and second, because the man who did the narration was absolutely enchanting, imitating all the accents and voices unbelievably well. Now for the story. It isn't the type of fiction I normally read. It's rough, it's sometimes violent, and it isn't for people who get squeamish easily. Nope, you need your big panties on for this one, and you will be rewarded for your courage. The best stories are ones where the protagonist evolves. These are ones I eat up, can't wait to get back to. This is one of those The author used his experiences to form the basis of the main character's life. Roberts was a thief and an addict in Australia when he was arrested and sentenced to nineteen years in prison. He made a daring and infamous daytime escape from prison and smuggled into Bombay to build a life of contrasts, from operating a free clinic in the slums to working for one of the biggest mafias in the city. The writing is arguably some of the finest I've ever read. His descriptions are magical. Pat Conroy said it is "a work of extraordinary art, a thing of exceptional beauty." I'm sad that I've finished it, it was with me for such a long time. I'll miss his character, Lin, and all those he grew to love. Of course, I, and I am sure other readers, are left wondering, what parts were true? What parts did he make up? But there is a sequel! The Mountain Shadow. I'll let you know how that one is too!

Shantaram, penned by Gregory David Roberts, is a tour de force of storytelling that has the power to transport readers to the vibrant streets of Mumbai. From the very first page, this extraordinary novel captivates with its sprawling narrative and deeply introspective exploration of the human spirit. Roberts' mesmerizing prose beautifully weaves a tapestry of emotions, taking readers on a rollercoaster journey through love, loss, redemption, and self-discovery. The vibrant and vivid descriptions of the city of Mumbai, its bustling markets, and the diverse characters that inhabit its streets breathe life into every scene. The protagonist, Lin, is a complex and fascinating character, flawed and yet utterly relatable. As we accompany him on his path of self-reflection and redemption, we are immersed in his innermost thoughts, fears, and desires, forging a profound and lasting connection. Beyond its captivating storytelling, Shantaram delves deep into themes of friendship, loyalty, and the nature of good and evil. It challenges our preconceived notions, forcing us to question our own moral compasses and the intricacies of the human condition. Roberts' richly detailed portrayal of the colorful array of characters Lin encounters creates an immersive reading experience. Each individual springs to life, with their joys, struggles, and downfalls masterfully crafted. The genuine sense of empathy and understanding extends beyond the boundaries of fiction, evoking raw emotions and prompting self-reflection. At over 900 pages, Shantaram may seem daunting, but every page is worth the journey. The pacing is expertly balanced, offering moments of heart-pounding action, tender introspection, and edge-of-your-seat suspense. As the narrative unfolds, the bonds formed between the characters deepen, leaving an indelible mark on the reader's heart. Shantaram is a novel that transcends genres and defies categorization. It is a literary experience, an emotional masterpiece, and a testament to the power of words. Gregory David Roberts' ability to transport readers to another world, all while delving into profound existential questions, is nothing short of extraordinary. In conclusion, Shantaram is a captivating and unforgettable odyssey that will leave you breathless, contemplating the intricate beauty of life itself. It is a book that deserves a permanent place on any book lover's shelf, ready to be revisited time and time again.

Bad karma. The book makes me think of bad karma. Mostly exhausting, not adventurous. As I battled my way through this book’s 944 pages, I gleefully contemplated the negative review I would compose. It can be maddening, dull, inspid. And yet, since I have finished it, I find it coming frequently to mind. It has made its mark on me. So, in the end, I give this book 4 stars, but subtract an additional one for its crazy length: 3 stars. Reader beware! There are treasures within, but also a great deal of drudgery and pain. It has an “unreliable author problem.” As others have lamented, it should have been a memoir. The author Gregory David Roberts, is very similar to the protagonist of the book. He too is a criminal, born in Australia, jailed in New Zealand, who fled to India for 10 years to hide from the law. In the end I realized that writing this was a form of psychotherapy for him, and we are along for the ride. Obsessed with his past, he drags us through it. If it had been a memoir, the extra constraint to be truthful, would have helped. Instead, he has allowed himself to romanticize an adventure story of his life, although painful regret inevitably catches up to show the lie. The first half was best. I enjoyed his arrival in India and, especially, his description of the slum, the “zhopadpatti,” where he moved to save money and be able to live in India indefinitely without a visa. He describes the Indians with great zest and life. For example, I had never heard of the “Indian head bob”–but based on his description I found this adorable video. Learning more about India, via any means, is one of the pleasures of this book. Gruesome descriptions of violence and crime are another, if this is enjoyable for you. But why not just watch “The Godfather?” But, the negatives of the book rear up and I found myself constantly questioning why, oh why, was I reading it? For example, conversation so transparent it reminds of the movie The Room: She died last week, Lin. My mother died last week.’ He turned to me, and the whites of his eyes were blazing with the tears he wouldn’t let them shed. ‘She died last week. And now, I’m getting married.’ ‘I’m sorry to hear about your mother, Johnny. But I’m sure she’d want you to get married. I think you’ll make a good father. In fact, I know you’ll make a good father. I’m sure of it.’ — Shantaram: A Novel (pp. 523-524). Bad foreshadowing: The one and only time that I saw the whole of the truth in his eyes—on a snow-covered mountain called Sorrow’s Reward— it was already too late, and I never saw it again. — Shantaram: A Novel (p. 550). Wise pronouncements which, become harder and harder to take seriously, given the source: When all the guilt and shame for the bad we’ve done have run their course, it’s the good we did that can save us. But then, when salvation speaks, the secrets we kept, and the motives we concealed, creep from their shadows. They cling to us, those dark motives for our good deeds. Redemption’s climb is steepest if the good we did is soiled with secret shame. — Shantaram: A Novel (p. 563). However, some of his experiments are very successful. Some of my favorites were: A powerful description of slum justice administered to a drunk who beat his wife. The best description I have ever read of what its like to be high on Heroin. Likewise, wonderful advice on how to win a knife fight: His second mistake was that he held the knife as if it was a sword and he was in a fencing match. A man uses an underhand grip when he expects his knife, like a gun, to do the fighting for him. But a knife isn’t a gun, of course, and in a knife fight it isn’t the weapon that does the fighting: it’s the man. The knife is just there to help him finish it. The winning grip is a dagger hold, with the blade downward, and the fist that holds it still free to punch. That grip gives a man maximum power in the downward thrust and an extra weapon in his closed fist. — Shantaram: A Novel (p. 563). You can’t deny the power of this passage: The cuts had healed into long Y-shaped scars that dragged down the lower lids of his eyes and ran like the trails of hideous, mocking tears. The lower lids, permanently red and raw, gaped open in little trenches of agony that revealed the whole globe of each eye. The wings and septum of his nose had been cut through to the bone. The skin, when it closed together, had fused in jagged whorls at the sides but not at all in the centre, where the laceration was too deep. The wide hole where his nostrils had been resembled the snout of a pig, and flared with every inward breath. — Shantaram: A Novel (p. 865). There’s no denying this book is alive, vibrant, you can “taste the sweat on its skin,” so to speak. But the struggle to psychologically deal with the author is exhausting and the content is crazy long with very mixed quality. It needs more than an editor, it also needs a psychotherapist. Or, another few rounds on the wheel of karma.

Rarely have I read a book that inspired such mixed feelings. I want to emphasize right away that I really enjoyed this book and I've given it four stars despite exasperating faults because the story and story-telling are so enthralling. That said, I struggled with the faults from cover to cover and they truly detract from what could be a five-star novel. First, the good. Roberts is a gifted story-teller. He has a knack for parceling out pieces of the story in such a manner that you continuously get new information, but constantly want more of the story. It's the recipe for an engrossing read. Beyond that, Roberts creates some great characters. Some reviews say the characters are straight out of central casting and/or are two-dimensional. The first claim is frequently true, but the second usually misses its mark. One of the things that makes this book strong is the life that Roberts breathes into many of the characters and their relationships with one another. You tangibly feel Roberts affection for the people he describes and it separates this book from most others, making it a worthwhile read. The story itself is apparently based on Roberts' own experiences and is gargantuan. This becomes a strength and a flaw. The novel has an epic quality to it, which is great, but by the end, you feel like you've traveled too far, gone too many places and experienced too many things too many times and you're just ready to be done. Making the reader feel the hero's feelings may even be the intention of the book, but if that's the case, it would be better to experience the hero's fatigue because of the prose, not because of its length. With that, let's move on to the less-than-great aspects of the book. Roberts is absurdly fond of metaphor and deep philosophical meaning and never misses an opportunity to throw in either or - better yet - both. So you get writing like, "The betrayal was an unsharpened butter knife twisting in the part of my gut just below my ribs, but above my belly button. I knew as the insidious emotion viciously attacked the core of my being that his words had been true; trust never is given for free, it always exacts a price in the end." I made that one up for you, but the book is filled with examples that blow it out of the water on the laughter/nausea meter. Too many of the characters in the book are amateur philosophers, constantly ready with a treatise on any topic at any time. It rings hollow. Roberts also loves to describe contrasting emotions being present at the same time, "His lips smiled while his eyes frowned." I think some variant of that concept appears about 50 times in the book. Enough! None of that keeps Shantaram from being a very strong book, it just keeps it from being the book that it might have been and puts it into the category of something a little too over-the-top. Despite the distractions, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.

A friend recommended this book and it was quite an enjoyable read. I felt I was on a spiritual journey through Bombay.

The book showcases the life of the author escaping from a maximum security prison and travelling with a fake passport arriving in Bombay, India. Getting a culture shock of seeing slums and extravagant neighborhoods together, to befriending a tourist guide, who both together lays the foundation for this epic true story. As the sun sets in the city the sun rises for nocturnal life of this great city, which projects life in shades of black, white & grey. Journey of a tourist who is ingrained in the life of Bombay, from starting of with staying in hotels and due to the circumstances unfolding ended up staying slums , goes on an adventure of medicine man, love, action and underworld. An Australian who came and learnt to speak the local lingo, thanks to the guide, who took him to the village and was given the name Shantharam. Once you pick up this book and read it, most other books will seem insignificant. Recommend you to pick it up to get the essence of the author's life experience in a foreign land

It's a very long story (900+ pages), but it's engaging enough for me to keep going (there're books that I put it down and stop reading, but not this one). A lot of people appear in this story, but they're well described lika a real human, and the way places, atmosphere, emotions are described feels genuine enough to make it feel like I'm also at the same place and experiencing the same events/emotions. It was a bit sad when the story finally ended. I highly recommend this book. Some people say this is life-changing. I won't go that far, but I'd say you won't regret the time and effort to read through this.

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A world far away and very close all at once.