Salman Rushdie (19 June, 1947) is an Indian author hailing from England who I consdier a keen observer of the obvious and a sharp political satirist.
- The author was born as Ahmed Salman Rushdie in Bombay, India. He was educated in England and graduated from King’s college, Cambridge.
- The author was knew he was to become a writer since he was five years old.
- Rushdie became a household name when a he earned a fatwa from Ayatollah Ruholah Khomeini who called for his death (and to any bookseller who carried the book as well as any Muslim who publicly condoned its release).
Note: Personally, I don’t see what the big deal was and I can only deduce that the Ayatolah was acting on hearsay instead of reading the book and making the decision himself. - The author hid for a decade and to this day gets a reminder now and then that the fatwa is still in effect.
- In his defense, the author pokes fun at religious fanatics of all faiths.
- When The Satanic Verses came out several book stores in England and the US had bomb scares, two Islamic clerics were murdered for publicly questioning the fatwa and book burnings were held throughout the world.
Even the most astute PR firm could come up with such brilliant marketing. - Rushdie has been compared with such greats as Lawrence Sterne and Jonathan Swift, however the New York Times Book Review said that “[it] would be a disservice to Salman Rushdie’s very original genius to dwell on literary analogues and ancestors.”
- Salman Rushdie was appointed Knight Bachelor by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 because of his immense contribution to English literature.
- Rushdie quietly mentors young Indian writers.
- Among many honors bestowed on Mr. Rushdie are a Book Prize, Golden PEN award, “author of the year” in various countries and, of course, a fatwa.
Zohar – Man of la book
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