Shantaram

Hello Friends,

I was awake half the night last night - reading! I received this book as a Christmas gift but put it aside as I had 2 others still to read that belong to a friend and I didn't want to keep them too long. (This is a thick book and has about 900 pages) I haven't read a book like this for quite some time where I feel compelled to just read one more page. I had to wash my face with cold water twice because my eyes were so tired but I needed to read some more.

It is the story of Gregory David Roberts, a convicted armed robber and heroin addict who escapes from an Australian jail and using a fake NewZealand passport runs to Bombay. Here he meets and makes a friend of Prabaker - a tourist guide and various other people. He joins the mafia, becomes a drug and gun runner... and yet it is immediately evident that in spite of  it all he is a truly decent human being.

  I have just started reading it and managed the whole of part one before I just couldn't see to read any more. I'm looking forward to reading some more tonight and having to be very disiplined about not sneaking off for a little read because I know I won't be able to stop.