Has anyone else read......

Uridium

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Shantaram - by Gregory David Roberts?

Most compelling book I've ever read :).

Just wondered if anyone else had read it and what you thought of it?

Apparently Johnny Depp has bought the rights to the story and it's in Pre-production now. The author himself is doing the scriptwriting so it should make a superb movie.
 
Ive just googled is and it looks very good, I may have to try and get hold of a copy...
 
In a nutshell, what's it about please?
 
According to imdb!


Shantaram is a semi-autobiographical story about an Australian heroin addict who escapes from prison and arrives in Bombay (Mumbai) with a fake passport. He assumes a new name, Lindsay There he meets Prabaker, a happy-go-lucky taxi driver. After he is robbed of all his money he moves from a hotel to the slums where Prabaker lives. In the slums he finds peace by opening a free-clinic. In search of more medicine he comes across a Mumbia Don (mafia boss) who helps Lindsay with his clinic and recruits him as a money launderer and passport foregoer. Lindsay falls in love with India while finding love, redemption, a purpose and heartbreak. He spends time in slums, company of mafia bosses, drug dens and in a tiny Indian village where he gains the name Shantaram.
 
According to imdb!


Shantaram is a semi-autobiographical story about an Australian heroin addict who escapes from prison and arrives in Bombay (Mumbai) with a fake passport. He assumes a new name, Lindsay There he meets Prabaker, a happy-go-lucky taxi driver. After he is robbed of all his money he moves from a hotel to the slums where Prabaker lives. In the slums he finds peace by opening a free-clinic. In search of more medicine he comes across a Mumbia Don (mafia boss) who helps Lindsay with his clinic and recruits him as a money launderer and passport foregoer. Lindsay falls in love with India while finding love, redemption, a purpose and heartbreak. He spends time in slums, company of mafia bosses, drug dens and in a tiny Indian village where he gains the name Shantaram.

Pretty much sums it up but just to add he also spends 8 months (several chapters in the book fighting for the Mujahadin in Afghanistan against the Russians) as well as several months in the Notorious Arthur Road prison in Bombay. And he also became involved in the Bollywood film industry.

Many of the charcaters in the book are fictional (although loosely based on real people he met, however the storyline is
based on his real encounters while in Bombay.

This guy has led some life!
 
ill wait for the johnny depp film.....


how shallow is that?
 
:D if it eases it for you there is also an Audiobook of the story as well. I read the book first about 6 months ago and am now listening to it on Audiobook.

the Audiobook is very very good. Fully unabridged with an excellent voice cast.
 
Bump :).

Just started reading this thanks to your recommendation Uridium :smashin:. Only 90 pages in but its beautifully written in the way it portrays the land and the characters etc. Highly recommended.
 
Thanks for the recommendation. Will have a look see.
 
I have, and what a book! Definatly worth reading, and worth reading before the film comes to light with Johnny Depp and India's acting legend Amitabh Bachan..

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429087/
 
I have just finished reading this book after getting it following the comments above and what a truly brilliant book it is. I really did feel very moved by it, more than any other book I have ever read in the past. Massive thanks to the OP for bringing it to my attention. :thumbsup: I'm not sure I will bother with the film as I cannot see for the life of me how it is going to do the book justice TBH.
 
Might get this for the hols :thumbsup:

Dave
 
I have just finished reading this book after getting it following the comments above and what a truly brilliant book it is. I really did feel very moved by it, more than any other book I have ever read in the past. Massive thanks to the OP for bringing it to my attention. :thumbsup: I'm not sure I will bother with the film as I cannot see for the life of me how it is going to do the book justice TBH.

Pleased you enjoyed it.

It's a while since i read it but i still think about the characters in the book from time to time. Never read a book before that stays with you like this one.

As mentioned the Audiobook is also very very good. superb audio cast and draws you in to the author's world just as the book does.
 
Sounds fantastic! I used to read just sci-fi and fantasy, but now I've moved to this kinda stuff. I'll give it a read. :thumbsup:
 

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