Soon to be a major motion picture starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara, this #1 international best-seller tells the miraculous and triumphant story of a young man who rediscovers not only his childhood life and home…but an identity long-since left behind.“Amazing stuff.” –The New York Post“So incredible that sometimes it reads like a work of fiction.” –Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)… of fiction.” –Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)
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.
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Interesting story of a lost boy in India. The beginning of the book was a little boring as it went over things too many times about how poor t hey were, but overall it was an interesting story as to how he survived as little as he was and how his life was changed forever by being adopted. Well worth the read.
I like real life stories and this is one! I have read about India before and it is hard for me to relate to such poverty and hardships, especially where children are concerned. This is a story with a happy ending, thankfully. And it was hard to read at times but was well worth the effort. It is the story told by a young man about how he was lost on the streets of a large city in India and lived to survive and thrive. The fact that as an adult, he was able to retrace his wanderings as a child and reconnect with his true family is amazing. I will see the movie now to compare.
The fact that this book deals with a real life series of events and places gives the theme a sense of urgency and drama. Additionally, it is filled with the colors of India and Indian life for the very poor. Yet, it is a story of hope, persistence, and determination to explore an empty spot in one’ life. Great read … before or after the movie.
This book keeps you wondering what will develop next.
What a good story of resilance
Hard to put down even though I knew the ending. I hope he isn’t just a one trick pony.
I was very moved by this story. As I read, I could not help thinking of my own children at this age, wondering if they would have had the strength to survive, as Saroo did.
The story is so tragic in that the boys go off and for the mother never return. What a mothers worst nightmare. For the boys it is much worse. The long scary train ride. The people wanting to do him harm. Just horrific! Then he gets a family in a strange place and so different. He try’s to find happiness with them but us haunted by his true mother and the added pressure of his big brother searching for him. I cried this is such a hard thing to come to grips with as an adoptive mother I just was overwhelmed by the story.
This is an incredible story that reveals the tenacity of the human spirit. Well written and descriptive of life in poverty stricken India. My only wish is that there was more dialogue between Saroo and people he interacted with but the story definitely touched my heart!
This was a nice story, but it didn’t live up to my expectations.
Better than the movie!
Amazing book, especially considering that it is TRUE. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and wish I could keep up w/ him and know how he is and what he is doing. To realize the character he has to fend for himself alone in Calcutta and then how amazingly an adoptive family came forth, and he accepted them so well— and later went back and FOUND his family in India! This book is well worth the read.
Wonderful true story of a boy to a man. He personally doesn’t really believe in God, but I saw God’s hand at work through his life. Kept my interest throughout.
The Lion Made me want to watch the movie based on it now
I read this after seeing the movie to compare the two and preferred the truth in the book. I don’t like when filmmakers feel they need to alter the facts to sell tickets.
Good Read. Hard to believe he escaped some of the things he did, however, the writer remarks upon how fortunate the character was.
An incredible account of courage, tenacity and resilience.
What an amazing life! Hard to imagine the twists and turns of fate.
Amazìng story of unusual people
This book gave me insight to the amount and degree of extreme poverty in India. I loved the family loyalty and strong bonds made.