Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is a sweeping, semi-autobiographical novel following Lin, an escaped Australian convict who vanishes into the vibrant chaos of 1980s Bombay. With a false passport and a haunted past, Lin finds refuge in India’s slums and criminal underworld, where he opens a free clinic and is eventually drawn into the city’s mafia. Guided by the philosophical mob boss Khader Khan and entranced by the mysterious Karla, Lin navigates love, betrayal, and redemption across a richly layered world of gangsters, holy men, Bollywood stars, and rebels.
Brimming with lyrical prose and unforgettable characters, Shantaram is an epic exploration of fate, identity, and the search for meaning—set against the vivid backdrop of a city that never sleeps. A global bestseller, it’s a deeply immersive tale inspired by the author’s own incredible life.
