
Gregory David Roberts (GDR) is an Australian artist, composer, songwriter, and author of Shantaram, its sequel, The Mountain Shadow, and The Spiritual Path. Following the breakdown of his marriage and the loss of custody of his daughter, he turned to heroin to numb the pain, and crime to feed his habit. In 1978, Roberts was sentenced to 19 years in prison for armed robbery (with a plastic weapon), he escaped and spent eight years in Bombay as a fugitive. Here he established a free medical clinic for slum-dwellers and worked as a counterfeiter and smuggler for a branch of the South Bombay mafia. Recaptured and extradited to Australia, he served out his sentence, which included two years in solitary confinement as a punishment for his escape. The time in solitary was to become a turning point in his life. When released, Roberts completed writing Shantaram and it was published in 2003 to critical acclaim. He returned to Mumbai where he set up a personal initiative to assist the city's poor with lifesaving healthcare. In the years that followed he became an in-demand public speaker and philosopher and received thousands of messages from readers saying the book had been “life changing”. Roberts went ‘off-grid’ in 2014 to look after his sick parents and pursue a spiritual path of devotion. In 2019, he established a multimedia company, Empathy Arts, and the following year released his debut album Love&Faith, which was recorded at Geejam Studios in Jamaica. The same year saw the release of his first non-fiction book The Spiritual Path. Roberts’ life affirming messages on social media, of taking personal responsibility, never giving up, living a purposeful life and embracing our common humanity, have resonated with people across the world. In October 2022, the TV series Shantaram based on the book, aired on AppleTV+. Roberts currently resides in Jamaica, where he continues to write, produce music and create art.
Now a major television series from Apple TV+ starring Charlie Hunnam!“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 a wall and being tortured.”An escaped convict with a false passport, Lin flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of Bombay, where he can disappear. Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter the city’s hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere.As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city’s poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power.Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas―this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart.
A sequel to SHANTARAM but equally a standalone novel, The Mountain Shadow follows Lin on further adventures in shadowy worlds and cultures. It is a novel about seeking identity, love, meaning, purpose, home, even the secret of life...As the story begins, Lin has found happiness and love, but when he gets a call that a friend is in danger, he has no choice but to go to his aid, even though he knows that leaving this paradise puts everything at risk, including himself and his lover. When he arrives to fulfil his obligation, he enters a room with eight men: each will play a significant role in the story that follows. One will become a friend, one an enemy, one will try to kill Lin, one will be killed by another... Some characters appeared in Shantaram, others are introduced for the first time, including Navida Der, a half-Irish, half-Indian detective, and Edras, a philosopher with fundamental beliefs. Gregory David Roberts is an extraordinarily gifted writer whose stories are richly rewarding on many levels. Like Shantaram, The Mountain Shadow will be a compelling adventure story with a profound message at its heart.
Crime and punishment, passion and loyalty, betrayal and redemption are only a few of the ingredients in Shantaram, a massive, over-the-top, mostly autobiographical novel. Shantaram is the name given Mr. Lindsay, or Linbaba, the larger-than-life hero. It means "man of God's peace," which is what the Indian people know of Lin. What they do not know is that prior to his arrival in Bombay he escaped from an Australian prison where he had begun serving a 19-year sentence. He served two years and leaped over the wall. He was imprisoned for a string of armed robberies peformed to support his heroin addiction, which started when his marriage fell apart and he lost custody of his daughter. All of that is enough for several lifetimes, but for Greg Roberts, that's only the beginning. He arrives in Bombay with little money, an assumed name, false papers, an untellable past, and no plans for the future. Fortunately, he meets Prabaker right away, a sweet, smiling man who is a street guide. He takes to Lin immediately, eventually introducing him to his home village, where they end up living for six months. When they return to Bombay, they take up residence in a sprawling illegal slum of 25,000 people and Linbaba becomes the resident "doctor." With a prison knowledge of first aid and whatever medicines he can cadge from doing trades with the local Mafia, he sets up a practice and is regarded as heaven-sent by these poor people who have nothing but illness, rat bites, dysentery, and anemia. He also meets Karla, an enigmatic Swiss-American woman, with whom he falls in love. Theirs is a complicated relationship, and Karla's connections are murky from the outset. Roberts is not reluctant to wax poetic; in fact, some of his prose is downright embarrassing. Throughought the novel, however, all 944 pages of it, every single sentence rings true. He is a tough guy with a tender heart, one capable of what is judged criminal behavior, but a basically decent, intelligent man who would never intentionally hurt anyone, especially anyone he knew. He is a magnet for trouble, a soldier of fortune, a picaresque hero: the rascal who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. His story is irresistible. Stay tuned for the prequel and the sequel. --Valerie Ryan
"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 a wall and being tortured." So begins this epic, mesmerizing first novel set in the underworld of contemporary Bombay. Shantaram is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of a city where he can disappear. Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter Bombay's hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere. As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city's poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power. Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas---this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart. Based on the life of the author, it is by any measure the debut of an extraordinary voice in literature.
Det här är den första delen av Shantaram. I början av 1980-talet begick australiensaren Gregory David Roberts en rad väpnade rån för att bekosta sitt heroinmissbruk. Han åkte fast men lyckades rymma från ett av Australiens mest välbevakade fängelser. På falskt pass tog han sig sedan till Indien och anonymiteten i den myllrande miljonstaden Bombay. Shantaram är Gregory David Roberts egen berättelse från de händelserika och omtumlande åren som förrymd fånge i Bombays undre värld. I ett av stadens slumområden öppnar han en sjukvårdsmottagning för de fattiga och nödställda. Han arbetar för maffian som pengatvättare och förfalskare av pass och han följer med maffialedaren Abdel Khader Khan till Afghanistan för att förse mujaheddin med vapen i kampen mot ryssarna. Han kastas i indiskt fängelse och får utstå tortyr och svält. I den grönögda mystiska Karla möter han kärleken.
The author of the international bestseller Shantaram takes us on a gripping personal journey of wonder and insight into science, belief, faith and devotion. Drawing on sacred traditions, rigorous logic and the six-year instruction of his spiritual teacher, Roberts describes the step-by-step process he followed in search of spiritual connection - a process that anyone, of any belief or none, can benefit from in their own lives. This gripping personal account of the 'Leap Of Faith' is a compellingly fresh addition to such enduring, spiritually inspiring works as Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , The Road Less Travelled and The Celestine Prophecy . As Roberts writes, ' The Spiritual Path is a book on spiritual matters that my younger self wanted one that offers more answers than questions, and helps to reset the spiritual compass.'
Det här är den tredje delen av Shantaram. I början av 1980-talet begick australiensaren Gregory David Roberts en rad väpnade rån för att bekosta sitt heroinmissbruk. Han åkte fast men lyckades rymma från ett av Australiens mest välbevakade fängelser. På falskt pass tog han sig sedan till Indien och anonymiteten i den myllrande miljonstaden Bombay. Shantaram är Gregory David Roberts egen berättelse från de händelserika och omtumlande åren som förrymd fånge i Bombays undre värld. I ett av stadens slumområden öppnar han en sjukvårdsmottagning för de fattiga och nödställda. Han arbetar för maffian som pengatvättare och förfalskare av pass och han följer med maffialedaren Abdel Khader Khan till Afghanistan för att förse mujaheddin med vapen i kampen mot ryssarna. Han kastas i indiskt fängelse och får utstå tortyr och svält. I den grönögda mystiska Karla möter han kärleken.
Det här är den tredje delen av Shantaram. I början av 1980-talet begick australiensaren Gregory David Roberts en rad väpnade rån för att bekosta sitt heroinmissbruk. Han åkte fast men lyckades rymma från ett av Australiens mest välbevakade fängelser. På falskt pass tog han sig sedan till Indien och anonymiteten i den myllrande miljonstaden Bombay. Shantaram är Gregory David Roberts egen berättelse från de händelserika och omtumlande åren som förrymd fånge i Bombays undre värld. I ett av stadens slumområden öppnar han en sjukvårdsmottagning för de fattiga och nödställda. Han arbetar för maffian som pengatvättare och förfalskare av pass och han följer med maffialedaren Abdel Khader Khan till Afghanistan för att förse mujaheddin med vapen i kampen mot ryssarna. Han kastas i indiskt fängelse och får utstå tortyr och svält. I den grönögda mystiska Karla möter han kärleken.
Vorableseprobe zum neuen Roman von Gregory David Roberts, der am 17. Oktober 2016 erscheint.*Inklusive Interview mit dem Autor*Eine Liebeserklärung an Bombay und an das Leben!„Shantaram“ hat Millionen Leser auf der ganzen Welt berührt. Die Geschichte von Lindsay Ford, dem Australier, der aus dem Gefängnis ausbrach, in Mumbai untertauchte, als Arzt im Slum arbeitete und um die Liebe seines Lebens kämpfte, lebt in ihren Herzen weiter. Lindsay Ford wurde zu Shantaram, und die Stadt Mumbai zu seiner Heimat. Am Ende verlor er einen Menschen, den er über alles liebte, wie einen Vater den Mafiaboss Khaderbhai.Zwei Jahre sind seitdem vergangen, und seit Khaderbhai nicht mehr mehr da ist, bekämpfen sich die verschiedenen Gangs der Stadt immer unerbittlicher, die Gewalt eskaliert. Auf der Suche nach einem Ausweg begegnet Lin einem heiligen Mann, der alles infrage stellt, was Lin zu wissen glaubte. Am liebsten würde er die Stadt verlassen, ein neues Leben beginnen. Doch zwei Dinge halten ihn zurü Karla, seine große Liebe, und ein fatales Versprechen, das er nicht brechen kann ...
by Gregory David Roberts
This rare and vintage book is a perfect addition to any bibliophile's collection
by Gregory David Roberts
Shantaram 2: The Mountain Shadow by Gregory David Roberts is the eagerly awaited sequel to one of the most remarkable novels of the early 21st century. Presented in the Russian language, this two-volume set invites readers to continue the thrilling journey of Lin, also known as Shantaram.After escaping from an Australian maximum-security prison, Lin finds himself embroiled in the dangerous world of counterfeit and contraband in Bombay. The Mountain Shadow picks up two years after Lin has lost his two closest allies and must now fulfill a final task given by his mentor while safeguarding his life amidst burgeoning gang conflicts.The narrative dives deeper into the complexities of love and faith as Lin strives to win the trust of a sage living in the mountains. Roberts' mastery in storytelling vividly brings to life the cultural richness of India and the tumultuous life of its protagonist. This set not only continues the saga but enriches the reader's understanding of the characters and their journeys.Whether you are a fan of literary fiction, a follower of Shantaram's earlier exploits, or a connoisseur of modern classics, The Mountain Shadow offers a reading experience that captivates and inspires. It is a priceless gift for anyone who cherishes profound narratives set against the backdrop of real-world challenges and transformations.
by Gregory David Roberts
by Gregory David Roberts
Dolgozhdannoe prodolzhenie odnogo iz samyh porazitel'nyh romanov nachala XXI veka."SHantaram" - eto byla prelomlennaya v hudozhestvennoj forme ispoved' cheloveka, kotoryj sumel vybrat'sya iz bezdny i ucelet', razoshedshayasya po miru tirazhom chetyre milliona ekzemplyarov (iz nih polmilliona - v Rossii) i zasluzhivshaya vostorzhennye sravneniya s proizvedeniyami luchshih pisatelej novogo vremeni, ot Melvilla do Hemingueya. Mastityj Dzhonatan Kerroll "CHelovek, kotorogo "SHantaram" ne tronet do glubiny dushi, libo ne imeet serdca, libo mertv... "SHantaram" - "Tysyacha i odna noch'" nashego veka. Eto bescennyj podarok dlya vsekh, kto lyubit chitat'". I vot nakonec G. D. Roberts napisal prodolzhenie istorii Lina po prozvishchu SHantaram, bezhavshego iz avstralijskoj tyur'my strogogo rezhima i stavshego v Bombee fal'shivomonetchikom i kontrabandistom.Itak, proshlo dva goda s tekh por, kak Lin poteryal dvuh samyh blizkih emu Kaderbhaya - glavarya mafii, pogibshego v afganskih gorah, i Karlu -zagadochnuyu, vozhdelennuyu krasavicu, vyshedshuyu zamuzh za bombejskogo mediamagnata. Teper' Linu predstoit vypolnit' poslednee poruchenie, dannoe emu Kaderbhaem, zavoevat' doverie zhivushchego na gore mudreca, sberech' golovu v neuderzhimo razgorayushchemsya konflikte novyh glavarej mafii, no glavnoe - obresti lyubov' i veru.