Gregory David Roberts, Shantaram

Shantaram is a thoroughly enjoyable read (even though at over 900 pages it's a bit heavy for the train). The author has a quite compelling way with words, even if the sentiments are occasionally a tad overblown or trite. This is a minor criticism, however, as the main plot of the book helter-skelters along at breakneck speed. Shantaram made me want to visit India a lot, and the characters are believable and (mostly) endearing. I preferred the first half of the book to the second, but overall I highly recommend this portrait of a sprawling, chaotic, colourful,joyous city, and a handful of its more interesting inhabitants. A tale of a life lived hard and without compromise.