Shantaram!

I am reading this true life autobiography called Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts which I picked up in a bookstall in Hannover. What an extraordinary adventorous life this man lead and definitely an awesome book it is! I must say it is one of the best novel I read in a long time.
This man was a drug junkie and fugitive on the run who escaped from maximum secuirty prison in Australia (on a 20 year sentence) in late 70s and reached India on illegal passport. Then his adventure began which took him to a life in Mumbai slum,6 months in a remote village in Maharashtra and a short but violent stint in Arthur Road Prison and also made him right hand man of underworld don of those days in Mumbai. He learnt Hindi, Marathi Urdu languages! He did charity work in the slums and also dealt in smuggling, passport forgery, black money, drugs, murders and also went on to Afghanistan as a Mujaheedin fighter and also acted as a extra in bollywood movies!!! He lived in India for 8 years without getting cought. Later he was caught in Germany and served remaining yrs of sentence in Australia..He wrote this mammoth 1000 page books 3 times since prison guards destroyed earlier two versions! He is now a free man and runs his multi media company and is a full time writer...and he writes like a pro!

Hats off to this man and his spirit of freedom (though it was for wrong reasons) ! Do read the book. Its a must have in your bookshelf!