Gregory D. Roberts, geb. 1952 in Melbourne, Australien, beging während seiner Studienjahre mehrere bewaffnete Raubüberfälle und wurde zu einer 19-jährigen Haftstrafe in einem Hochsicherheitsgefängnis verurteilt. Nach seiner spektakulären Flucht ließ sich Gregory D. Roberts in Bombay nieder. Dort gründete er unter anderem seine eigene Castingagentur für Bollywood-Filmproduktionen und eine Rockband. Seine Kontakte zur lokalen Mafia führten schließlich zu seiner Festnahme in Frankfurt. Gregory D. Roberts wurde nach Australien zurückgeschickt, wo er weitere sechs Jahre im Gefängnis verbrachte zwei davon in Einzelhaft. In dieser Zeit begann er seine Arbeit an seinem ersten Roman Shantaram, der mittlerweile zu einem weltweiten sensationellen Erfolg avanciert ist. Heute lebt Gregory D. Roberts mit seiner Familie in Genf.

A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld'A literary masterpiece... at once erudite and intimate, reflective and funny... it has the grit and pace of a thriller' Daily Telegraph'A publishing phenomenon' Sunday Times'A gigantic, jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga' Daily Mail'In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts, an armed robber and heroin addict, escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. There, he established a free health clinic and also joined the mafia, working as a money launderer, forger and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi, fall in love, and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then, in case anyone thought he was slacking, he acted in Bollywood and fought with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan... Amazingly, Roberts wrote Shantaram three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It's a profound tribute to his willpower... At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.' Time Out

A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld'A literary masterpiece... at once erudite and intimate, reflective and funny... it has the grit and pace of a thriller' Daily Telegraph'A publishing phenomenon' Sunday Times'A gigantic, jaw-dropping, grittily authentic saga' Daily Mail'In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts, an armed robber and heroin addict, escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. There, he established a free health clinic and also joined the mafia, working as a money launderer, forger and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi, fall in love, and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then, in case anyone thought he was slacking, he acted in Bollywood and fought with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan... Amazingly, Roberts wrote Shantaram three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It's a profound tribute to his willpower... At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.' Time Out