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Quote by Gregory David Roberts

“I look back, now, and I know that the naming moment, which seemed so insignificant then, which seemed to demand no more than an arbitrary and superstitious yes or no, was in fact a pivotal moment in my life.”

Quote by Gregory David Roberts

Work

Shantaram

This novel is a richly detailed narrative that delves into the complexities of human existence, following the protagonist's journey from a life of crime to a quest for self-discovery and peace. The story is set against the backdrop of a vibrant and chaotic Mumbai, offering a vivid portrayal of the city's diverse cultures and communities. The protagonist's transformation is central to the narrative, as he navigates the challenges of addiction, the allure of the criminal underworld, and the search for a meaningful life. more

Author

Gregory David Roberts
Gregory David Roberts

Gregory David Roberts is an Australian author best known for his autobiographical novel 'The Shawshank Redemption.' This novel was later adapted into a successful film, becoming a classic. Born on June 1, 1952, Roberts' life has been marked by adventure and challenge. more

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“Let me explain something to you. Look around here. How many people do you count? Sixty, eighty, eighty people? Greeks, Germans, Italians, French, Americans. Tourists from everywhere. Eating, drinking, talking, laughing. And from Bombay - Indians and Iranians and Afghans and Arabs and Africans. But how many of these people have real power, real destiny, real dynamic for their place, and their time, and the lives of thousand of people? I will tell you - four. Four people in this room with power, and the rest are like the rest of the people everywhere: powerless, sleepers in the dream.”

“Do you know the story of the scorpion and the frog? You know, the frog agrees to carry the scorpion across the river, because the scorpion promises not to sting him. And then the scorpion stings the frog, half way across the river. The drowning frog asks him why he did it, when they'll both drown, and the scorpion says that he's a scorpion, and it's his nature to sting.”

“The only victory that really counts in prison is survival. But survival means more than simply being alive. It's not just the body that must survive a jail term; the spirit and the will and the heart have to make it through as well. If any one of them is broken or destroyed, the man whose living body walks through the gate, at the end of his sentence, can't be said to have survived it. And it's for those small victories of the heart, and the spirit, and the will that we sometimes risk the body that cradles them.”

“There is nothing so depressing as good advice, and I will be pleased if you do not inflict it upon me. Frankly, I am shocked at you. You must know this, surely? Some years ago I suffered such an offensively gratuitous piece of good advice that I was depressed for six months afterward. It was a very close call - I almost never recovered.”