Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, ISBN 9780330423625

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He was Australia's most wanted man. Now he's written Australia's most wanted novel.

'Shantaram' is a novel based on the life of the author, Gregory David Roberts. In 1978 Roberts was sentenced to nineteen 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 ten 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 read 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.

It is a huge book in every sense. It has a sweep and a power that will captivate everyone who reads it. It is, quite simply, unputdownable.

RRP: $25.00

About the Author: Gregory David Roberts

Gregory David Roberts (born June 1952 in Melbourne) is an Australian author, most noted for his novel Shantaram. He was a heroin addict and convicted bank robber who escaped from Pentridge Prison and fled to India where he lived for ten years.

In 1978, Roberts was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment for a series of armed robberies of building-society branches, credit unions and shops, committed with a toy pistol while addicted to heroin. In a 3-month spree in 1977, armed with an imitation pistol, he netted about $38,000 from 24 armed robberies. In July 1980, he escaped from Victoria's maximum security prison in broad daylight to become one of Australia's most wanted men. After briefly going to New Zealand, he lived in Mumbai, where he became involved with the local mafia, until 1990 when he was captured and imprisoned in Frankfurt. He was returned to Australia and served a further six years in prison, including two years in solitary confinement, during which time he began work on his novel.

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Reviews of Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

All I can say is "wow"
Reviewed by Scott, 11/11/2008

In my life I've only read a couple of books that I've run to my friends and said "you've gotta read this book". A vivid story line, easy to read, and some of the exploits just leave you with your jaw on the floor. My wife read it immediately after me, and she was as stunned as I was. I can't recommend this book enough to others.

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