Few modern authors have been in the spotlight as much as Salman Rushdie. On the one hand, he’s an incredibly talented author; on the other, he’s been accused of blasphemy and had attempts made on his life as a result of his work. Nevertheless, if not for his courage alone, Salman Rushdie’s writing legacy is one worth celebrating. Rushdie has written over 20 short stories and novels since his first novel, Grimus, was published in 1975.
The Fatwa
For those who aren’t familiar with Salman Rushdie’s work, you may know him as being the target of a fatwā in 1989. To put it brief, The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, called for his assassination. The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, was the subject of a major controversy, provoking protests from Muslims in several countries. Rushdie experienced death threats and the British government placed him under police protection. Years later, on August 12, 2022 to be precise, as he was about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old Lebanese American who rushed onto the stage and stabbed him repeatedly. The attack left him blind in his right eye. In 2024 Rushdie released Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, a memoir of the attack and his subsequent recovery.
The Booker of Bookers
Salman Rushdie’s second novel, the fantastic Midnight’s Children (and this writer’s favorite novel), won the Booker Prize in 1981. Over the years it’s been described as “the best novel of all Booker winners”. The novel is about the magical children born when India gained independence at midnight on August 15, 1947. Shame, his third book, was released in 1983 and was also shortlisted for the Booker. It is set in an imaginary country that strongly resembles Pakistan, and involves a rivalry between two different men — one a celebrated warrior, the other a debauched playboy. Another favorite is The Moor’s Last Sigh (1995) which follows the exiled son of a dynasty of crime lords as he travels on a dangerous journey from India to Spain.
The Salman Rushdie Collection At Bynx
Bynx has several First Edition Salman Rushdie books in our collection. Readers who enjoy stories that blend magical realism with satire and commentary on the world today will certainly appreciate his writing style and find enjoyment in his books.
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