Post Pick: ‘Shantaram’ by Gregory David Roberts
By Michael Thrasher | mt360309@ohiou.edu | @Mike_Thrasher
Shantaram is a 2003 novel about an Australia native who escapes from prison and lives as a fugitive in Mumbai (Bombay), India for ten years. The unique writing style immerses you in the vibrant culture of India’s largest city while you follow a, dare I say, loveable criminal through it.
What is equally fascinating is the influence for the novel: Roberts’ own life. After committing a number of armed robberies in Australia, Roberts was caught in 1978. In 1980 he escaped, instantly became one of Australia’s most wanted men, and spent ten years in Bombay as a fugitive before he was caught in Germany. Roberts has always had a love for writing and began work on Shantaram once he was caught.
The novel is more than 900 pages, but don’t let the length of the tome deter you; You’ll finish it before you know it and find yourself wanting more.
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