Gregory David Roberts

Gregory David Roberts nasceu em Melbourne, Austrália, sendo Shantaram a sua obra mais aclamada. Condenado a uma pena de dezanove anos por uma série de assaltos à mão armada, escapou da Prisão Pentridge. Durante a fuga viveu dez anos em Bombaim, onde fundou uma clínica gratuita para pessoas carenciadas, e onde trabalhou como falsificador, contrabandista, traficante de armas, e soldado de rua às ordens de um dos ramos da máfia de Bombaim. Recapturado, cumpriu a sua sentença, após a qual estabeleceu uma bem-sucedida empresa de multimédia. Roberts é atualmente escritor a tempo inteiro e vive em Bombaim.… (mais)

A very distinctive read. This is described as a novel, though it appears to be highly autobiographical - which frankly is extraordinary. Essentially it's the story of an escaped convict who flees from Australia and winds up in Bombay (and is quickly dubbed Lin). Falling in love with the city, he accumulates a wide and diverse set of friends. This actually feels like two books smooshed together - one is a heartwarming comedy of Lin's friendship with some of Bombay's lowest classes, and his time living and working in a Bombay slum; the second is of Lin's increasing involvement with the Bombay mafia (with considerable moral ambiguity). Both are fine and interesting (and, perhaps surprisingly, pretty convincing) but they sit together a little uneasily.

On the downside, the writing sometimes draws attention to itself a bit - an obscure word may be rolled out when a more common word would do. It's almost as if the writer wishes to demonstrate his erudition (possibly to counter preconceptions due to his criminal activities). And the passages devoted to matters of the heart are best got through quickly.

In addition, the book ends a little arbitrarily. There are many loose ends, and several events which would have delieverd more closure. Still, at more than 900 pages it's not as if you feel short changed.

One of the best things about the book is the author's delight in and devotion to India. He really explores a much wider spectrum of India society than most people ever would (foreign or, I venture, Indian). His enthusiasm is evident and infectious (and, I have no doubt, sincere).

So a really fascinating novel. It's a little ungainly in some ways, and ends up provoking a confusion of emotions. But in all that lends an air of it being a story that the author had to tell, which, in the end, is pretty endearing.… (mais)

Still in 2 minds about this book. It's an epic story of an Australian who has escaped from a vicious Aussie jail, and ended up in India. Over the next decades he lives in a slum, becomes a middle ranking mafia man, junkie and ends up fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan. Meanwhile he meets many colourful characters, who teach him many things, some he doesnt learn that quickly.

As a fictional story this is a bit farfetched but interesting. However there is the nagging thought that this is supposed to be a true-ish story (about the author's own life). Whilst he/the story tries to come off as "deep" ultimately he comes off as very shallow. He develops unquestioning friendships (bordering on adoration) with people who ultimately betray him. He discards those good people in his life with apparent ease in order to move himself onwards within the mafia world (only to be betrayed by the people he worships and losing the good people around him).… (mais)