Summary Reviews Author Description Specs 'A literary masterpiece . . . at once erudite and intimate, reflective and funny . . . it has the grit and pace of a thriller' Daily Telegraph 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 . . . At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.' Time Out Loosely based on the author's life, this is one book you will not forget. It's not everyday your protagonist is a bank robber/heroin addict turned maximum security prison escapee and that’s just the beginning. Read on and you will discover the heart of the story lies in Mumbai where the author paints a beautiful picture of its diverse culture and people & shares with us a rollicking tale of his fortunes & misfortunes. Gregory David Roberts was born in Melbourne, Australia. A gifted writer and student, he became addicted to heroin when his marriage collapsed and he lost the custody of his daughter. When he committed a series of robberies with an imitation pistol, he was described as the Gentleman Bandit. Sentenced to nineteen years in prison, he escaped and journeyed to New Zealand, Asia, Africa, and Europe. For ten of those fugitive years he lived in Bombay-where he established a free medical clinic for slum-dwellers, and worked as a counterfeiter, smuggler, gunrunner, and street soldier for a branch of the Bombay mafia. Recaptured in Germany, he served out his sentence there and in Australian prisons. Upon his release, he established a successful multimedia company, and since the international publication of Shantaram, he is a full-time writer, at home in several countries. General Information ISBN 9781742611075 Publisher Pan Macmillan Australia Pty, Limited Imprint Pan Macmillan Australia Pty, Limited Weight (g) 0.772 Publication date 01 November 2011 Product Type books Other Specifications Author Gregory David Roberts Bind Paperback Language English Pages 944 BIC subject FA Additional Information For more information on our shipping policy follow this link and for our returns policy click here.
