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Lion cover art

Lion

Written by: Saroo Brierley, Larry Buttrose
Narrated by: Vikas Adam
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Publisher's Summary

At only five years old, Saroo Brierley got lost on a train in India. Unable to read or write or recall the name of his hometown or even his own last name, he survived alone for weeks on the rough streets of Calcutta before ultimately being transferred to an agency and adopted by a couple in Australia.

Despite his gratitude, Brierley always wondered about his origins. Eventually, with the advent of Google Earth, he had the opportunity to look for the needle in a haystack he once called home and pore over satellite images for landmarks he might recognize or mathematical equations that might further narrow down the labyrinthine map of India. One day, after years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for and set off to find his family.

Lion is a moving, poignant, and inspirational true story of survival and triumph against incredible odds. It celebrates the importance of never letting go of what drives the human spirit: hope.

©2016 Saroo Brierley (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What the critics say

"Narrator Vikas Adam's clear diction and engaging Australian accent are easy to embrace right from the beginning.... The incredible true story of a lost child who travels from India to Australia is fascinating; assigning the elegant simplicity of good storytelling to Adam was a stroke of genius. His pacing is deliberate and calm, allowing listeners to absorb the story's details fully. There is no need to dress this story in a melodramatic voice - the story itself carries all the emotion we need. Rather, Adam steps back to give us space to feel it." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Lion

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Great listen!!

Fascinating true story of a young boy who became lost and adopted by parents from another country. After growing up, he had an insatiable desire to find his birth family and returned to his homeland to pursue his dream.
Loved it!! A true story of destiny.

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    4 out of 5 stars

One of the most moving stories I’ve ever heard

This was one of the most moving stories I’ve ever heard. What a story! I am amazed at Saroo’s tale and how he was able to endure so much at such a young age. Truly incredible.

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Profoundly moving story

Easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. Well written and well narrated. Could not turn it off

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Riveting !

#Audible1
Each story depicting children’s resilience in horrific circumstances never ceases to amaze me. Truly humbling story.

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Unbelievable story!

Amazing book! Once you start you won’t be able to turn it off! If you believe in faith, this is for you!

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Magnifique ! J'ai adoré du début à la fin !

J'ai acheté cet audiobook dans l'espoir d'avoir un récit plus complet que dans le film. J'ai été agréablement surprise de la qualité du narrateur et de l'histoire. Merci !

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Pretty Good

I felt like this was both too long and too short. There was a lot of interesting aspects to this one but I felt like Saroo wasn't the best writer and it could have been a stronger prose to this one.

That being said, there is a lot of great understanding of adoption, especially inter-country adoption and how this shapes people. I think it is a great story and it did make me cry so there's that.

I liked a lot of the cultural aspect. It was interesting to see how different Saroo's life was in India compared to how it was in Australia and the type of life he was afforded as compared to his siblings that stayed in India. I think Saroo had a good grasp on how life changed for him and came to an understanding about what it meant for him.

I really connected to this story - I was adopted so it was nice to have another story about someone who was adopted. Obviously our stories are different but it still allowed me to relate to Saroo and his plight. Even though I had a personal connection, I think this was written in a way that anyone could relate to Saroo and understand his story.

I am not sure I would have spent the full amount on this one, especially for the audiobook, but it was still a good story. I think if you do decide to pick it up, you won't be disappointed.

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A Spellbinding Tale

This story is breathtaking, and the reader is perfectly matched and compelling. This is a BEAUTIFUL story.

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Loved it!

An incredible story made even more special by the way it was written and shared. The author’s writing had me stopping at intervals to fully appreciate the impact of what he had just said. It would be impossible to walk away untouched.

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Heart stirring account of hope fulfilled

I kept imagining my grandchildren being lost at five years old and surviving alone like that, so good to have a happy ending in this story.

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