Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Hi everyone. Here is the reading schedule

April 17: read to page 125 where Chapter 6 starts
April 24: discuss through p 125 read to page230 where Chapter 12 starts
May 1: discuss through 230 read to page 349 where Chapter 17 starts
May 8: discuss through page 349 read to 442 where Chapter 22 starts
May 15: discuss through page 443 read to page 542 where Chapter 26 starts
May 22: discuss through page 542 read to page 650
May 29: discuss through page 650 read to page page 758 where Chapter 36 starts
June 5: discuss through page 758 read to page 852 where Chapter 40 starts
June 12: discuss through page 852 finish reading book
June 19 discuss book in its entirety

Anyone want to co-lead with me? Who is in?
Can't wait!!!

I'm in. I got my copy. Its a heavy weight!

Anyone joining who has started and abandoned this book?

I'm in!

I started and love it!

I'm in as well and looking forward to the read.

Just started - already a huge fan, just from his descriptions of his first impressions of Bombay. Makes me feel like I am by his side for the journey!
Anyone else want to share their first impressions?

My first impression was when I read the author's biography. I knew this book would pull me in immediately

I've read it. Loved it. I will delve in again to re-familiarize myself. Can't wait to read his next

I'm reading this with another group, but will happily join in here too. I'm 2/3 of the way through, and frankly I feel like I just want to get this monkey off my back... I will have no life until I'm finished with it. It is a page-turner, an adventure with a picaresque hero, and full of many profound and moving insights.

And, I think this is an autobiography thinly disguised as a novel (to protect the innocent, perhaps, and to avoid legal issues?).

We have a great group can't wait to start!

I was able to pick my book up today. Sounds like it will be good. Meg I wonder how it will be compared to Far Pavillion. You will have to let me know. I never did read that yet.

I will let you know some comparisons. Glad you are able to join us

I am going to join in this one! I have been wanting to read this for years.

Also, FYI---I have heard from a few people that the Audible version is excellent. I am traveling to Europe, so I may use Kindle/Audible to assist in reading this so I don't have to bring such a huge book with me!

Question on format. Is there discussion through the week or is it at a specific time?

So for example, on May 1 we are discussing through page 239. Will there be questions at a specific time, or is it more of a casual conversation throughout that week.

Hi Emily we discuss throughout the week There is no specific time that we meet. Glad to have you!

I hope everyone has the book and started reading. As you read ask yourself how much is fact or is it fiction? This will be part of the discussion theme

Meg wrote: "I hope everyone has the book and started reading. As you read ask yourself how much is fact or is it fiction? This will be part of the discussion theme"

An interesting piece of trivia, which is not a spoiler -- in the acknowledgments section, Roberts names dozens and dozens of people he is beholden to, and buried about 2/3 way through the list is the name "Vikram Patel." Apparently Patel approved of the use of his name, and possibly his character?, in this novel. It also tends to affirm my contention that this is an autobiography. Certainly Roberts' experiences in life have made it possible for him to write authoritatively about a lot of events in the book.

I started the book last night but spent more time on the internet reading about the author than I did reading the book. That's the craziest author bio I have ever seen.

Wait to you start reading!

Sounds promising!

Here we go! How do you feel about reading a book written by an escaped convict? Does it influence you at all?

After reading his bio, and reading the start of this book, is this really a novelized story of HIS OWN life?

Well I am sure he has used real life experiences and it will be up to us to determine what was fact and what was embellished.

Are you "hooked" and if so when did it happen? For me it was somewhere between reading his bio and the first paragraph. I like the author's writing style and the way he sets the scene and introduces his characters.

I am from the start. For me the sights, sounds, smells, and the people and the freeness that exist in Bombay for good and bad. There are some great quotes and ideas.
If you have seen any of the Exotic Marigold Hotel movies Parbarker reminds me a lot of one of the characters in that. .

I am hooked. I wasn't expecting to be thrilled with this one, and would never have picked it up on my own, but once I read the bio and the first chapter, and loved the writing style and how descriptive he was, and how I felt I could really see this version of India, I was hooked.

I just started last night and only got through the first chapter. But, I expect to catch up this week. I am hooked. There is an energy in the writing. At the same time, it does not feel as if we are going to sacrifice developed characters so that we can consentrate on a fast moving plot. I have not read anything about the author. Is he an escaped convict?

I am definitely hooked. What a fabulous book! I guess I have preconceived ideas of what a criminal would write but this is not it. I didn't expect it to be so well written, insightful, and wise.

I am completely hooked. I don't know if it happened when he first described Bombay and Prabaker or when he first met Karla. Although, as much as I would like to believe that this is a true story, I feel as though he fabricates a lot of the scenarios.

I also find it fascinating that he thinks of himself as a writer instead of a criminal. He seems to feel guilty for his crimes committed in Australia, when he was struggling with heroin addiction. But, at the same time, I feel as though he ignores the pain his actions has caused others. Maybe he does this as a cooping mechanism. It is very conflicting for me to believe that this writer committed such crimes, but at the same time I feel for him and want him to do well in his new life. I want to be on his side, despite knowing that he is an escaped prisoner.

It's interesting that he is choosing to write about his "fresh start" in Bombay rather then his dark and criminal past. It makes me feel as through he is hiding a lot more than he lets on.

Let us talk about the characters we have met
Prabaker: what do you think of him? Friend or foe? One thing I like about him is that he provides comic relief

I like Prabaker, and I think he has been a good friend to our main character so far. In the beginning I think he was just a street guy trying to hustle a tourist for money, but once he was offered the whiskey I think he was won over.

I agree, comic relief and seems to have the narrator's back.

Comic relief is right. That shower scene had me laughing out loud. With the developments in this week's section of the book, it's becoming very important to me that Lin keeps Prabaker's respect but I fear that he won't.

I am hopeful for Parabarker. There are others in this last section I don't trust as much and am worried about. I agree he is the comic relief.

I am not sure I get what Lin's attraction is to Karla? Is it more than beauty?

This section was heavy. The slum life and beating in particular.

You're right about this section being heavy, Rebecca. It sure was a contrast from the first section.

I think he recognizes a kindred spirit in Karla. Both are very bright, resourceful, seem to be hiding a past, never let people get too close, etc.

I love Prabaker. I don't know how I feel about Karla, she seems dangerous to me.

I feel the same Chelsea. It made me sad the way she responded to Lin's confession of love. I expected it from some her previous comments, but it made me not want to trust her much.

Taylor I felt the same about the bear hugging. I could definitely hear Parbarker's pleading on that one. (Smile)

I love the name Prabaker chose for Lin and what it means and that it is considered a powerful name. If we changed Karla's name to vagina would she become more powerful? ( still laughing)

I wish we had seen the naming ceremony instead of just being told of the new name. I would have liked to have had it narrated, how he was approached with the idea of the new name and how he reacted and how it was confirred. I wonder why the author left it all out.

What is it about Karla that you either dislike or not trust? Her aloofness is a red flag for me

The opening of the novel foreshadowed that the narrator would end up in a potentially dangerous situation. I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't recall exactly what was said. Because of that, I am viewing most of the characters with one skeptical eye; is this what is going to entangle our narrator in some criminal world? Karla's stand-offish-ness conveys a sense that she is hiding something. This could be a sorted past like the narrator or it could be that she is involved in criminal activities. I also highly distrust the guy who has gotten Shantaram connected to the doctor and who invited him to that discussion group. I can't recall his name. He orders people around and there seems to be some fear of him. I get the impression that this is some form of organized crime boss.

Interesting that you say this because I feel most of the characters have something to hide. I am feeling we are getting a glimpse of the criminal world in Bombay and how intertwined everyone is

For me, Karla is just a very dark and mysterious character. She is everyone's idol, yet, she treats everyone as if they are expendable.

And with all that is going on, I feel as though even though the narrator is "in-love" with her, he doesn't give her a lot of attention. If she was truly significant and he was truly in love with her, he would choose her over everything else.

I don't think he is "in love" with Karla. He is fascinated with her and there is a sexual charge between them, but I would not call it love.

I like Karla, and like that she is mysterious.

I have to keep reminding myself that this is a "novel". It is written like a biography, in the first person, so I keep finding myself wondering how much of this is based on the author's own life and experiences, and how much is padding and fictional exaggeration to make the novel more interesting. I almost wish the author had made this a factual biography.

Do you ever think that he wrote this as a novel and when it was completed he was surprised at how autobiographical it became?