#1: A Conversation with Shantaram’s Gregory David Roberts

In January of 2022, I visited one of my all-time favorite authors in Jamaica, Gregory David Roberts (“GDR”). You can find the audio file of our interview above, which was recorded while we sat outside his rented tropical home, one stone’s throw from the white-sand beach.

GDR is the internationally bestselling author of Shantaram, an epic 993-page novel about a convicted Australian bank robber and heroin addict who escapes from prison and flees to India. Based on the raw elements of GDR’s own remarkable life, the novel is cherished by many readers worldwide. Under the Apple TV+ banner, Shantaram has been adapted into a major TV series that debuted on October 14th, 2023.

Our conversation includes:

* Reaching a “Turning Point”

* Writing in prison and beyond

* Overcoming addiction

* Meeting a spiritual teacher

* A debate on free will

* How the longing for drugs is spiritual

* Gangster Tantra

* Ethical business practices

You can learn more about GDR on his website, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube.

Listen to the episode on Substack, Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Hosted by Alex Olshonsky.

Access the episode transcript here.

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