Shantaram: Brave this Indian odyssey

Yes, Shantaram is on the large side and I did regret buying it when I couldn't fit the damned thing in my rucksac and had to take a larger handbag to accomodate it.

But having spent three weeks lugging it from chilly Sydney beaches and slightly warmer city pools in Brisbane, onto the white sands of the Whitsundays and up through the Cairns' rainforest...I can say every swear word, dog ear and split seam was worth it.

It's brilliant. At times I laughed out loud (if you ever need to smuggle a bear out of Bombay, this is the book for you) and I certainly struggled with tears, foolishly reading one of the book's saddest passages whilst lying on the world's most beautiful beach.

It's an autobiography and I have to admit, I'm not usually a fan of those. Being a cynic, I always question the author's recollection and can't help wondering if they've simply taken the opporunity to paint themselves in a better light. We can all regret the way we've acted in the past - and isn't this an easy way to rectify history?

 But Roberts is honest and self-deprecating. I have no idea how he recalled his eight years on the run in Bombay (he is an Australian by the way, so I didn't choose that badly) with such clarity. He refers to making notes and I'm sure he kept a diary, but still, this book is written in such detail you can smell India on every page.

I love how he changed throughout the book. It's clear no-one could undergo such experiences without seeing their values and temperament altered. But still, what a rare skill to be able to portray that in your own autobiography. It's pretty damned honest.

For a larger book, the pace never lets up. Roberts packs so much in - living in a slum; running a health clinic; working on the black market; finding his way into Bollywood; fighting a war; covering up a murder...and meeting some of the funniest and most charming people Bombay has surely ever produced.

Ooh and, Johnny Depp is lined up to appear in the film. Does it get any better than that?

Give it a whirl and tell me what you think. I'm booking my next holiday to India by the way.