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Journalism of Courage
“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” The words sum up Salman Rushdie. We all know him for Midnight’s Children, the book that made him famous, and The Satanic Verses, the novel which caused global outrage and forced him into hiding for years.
Rushdie chose to continue writing no matter what. Even after making it through a brutal knife attack in 2022 that made him blind in one eye, he did not step back. Many authors in his place would have completely stopped after such a traumatic event. But his passion did not wither. Here’s a look at five of Rushdie’s most recent works.
“We would not be who we are today without the calamities of our yesterdays.”
Salman Rushdie’s most recent work is his memoir, Knife, written after the 2022 knife attack that nearly ended his life. He shows us his trauma and his will to still write. It’s honest and it’s witty. Unlike his earlier memoir Joseph Anton, this one is written in the first person, making it feel much more personal. Knife is a record of survival and a bold statement on the freedom to speak and write. It gives us rare insight into Rushdie’s mind, and shows his unwavering dedication to the written word, even when writing itself becomes an act of defiance.
In 14th century South India, nine-year-old Pampa Kampana witnesses her mother walk into “the bonfire of the dead”. She is blessed with magical powers and a mission to build a world where no woman suffers as her mother did. She builds Bisnaga, a kingdom meant to uplift women in a patriarchal world. Victory City is an imaginative tale about power and the stories that shape civilisations. With beauty and emotion, Rushdie revives a forgotten empire and the extraordinary woman who dreamed it into existence. It’s vintage Rushdie, yet strikingly fresh in its voice.
This is a collection of essays and speeches written by Salman Rushdie. From Cervantes to Kafka, he explores the writers who shaped his thinking, while tackling themes like censorship, migration, politics and the power of imagination. We get to see what Rushdie thinks of other writers’ writing, how their ideas and style show the times they lived in. It shows his thoughts on storytelling and rapidly changing world. With clarity and wit, Languages of Truth is a celebration of literature and a bold reflection on the cultural shifts of our time.
Quichotte is a television obsessed, slightly delusional travelling salesman who falls hopelessly in love with a TV star he has never met. Determined to win her heart, he goes on a journey across America with his imaginary son. He faces everything from the opioid crisis to cultural absurdities. But Quichotte isn’t acting alone here. He is actually the creation of Sam DuChamp, a struggling writer in the middle of a personal breakdown. The lines between Sam DuChamp, the author and his character blur, as both try to complete their parallel quests. It is a surreal, moving reflection on identity. Inspired by Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Rushdie writes a satire of modern America, one that is between reality and illusion. If you enjoy thought provoking books that are entertaining as well, then Quichotte is a must-read.
Nero Golden, a billionaire from Bombay, arrives in New York. And what is a billionaire without secrets? With him come his three sons, still trying to understand who he really is. They settle into The Gardens, an elite, enclosed community in Greenwich Village, and instantly disrupt the lives of those around them. Their story is told by René, a filmmaker who becomes fascinated by the Goldens and finds in them the perfect material for his next project. From Nero’s romance with a mysterious Russian to the reveal of long-buried secrets, the Goldens’ world begins to crack. And, so does the nation around them. This book shows a family and a nation on the verge of transformation. If you’re into family dramas and then this is a must-read.
(The writer is an intern with indianexpress.com)
