Salman Rushdie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Salman Rushdie
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Rushdie in 2024
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| Born | Ahmed Salman Rushdie 19 June 1947 Bombay, British India |
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| Education | Cathedral and John Connon School Rugby School |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (BA) |
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| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Natalie Rushdie (daughter-in-law) |
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Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (born 19 June 1947) is a famous writer. He was born in India and later became a citizen of Britain and the United States. His novel, Midnight's Children (1981), won the Booker Prize. This book was even called "the best novel of all winners" twice!
In April 2023, Time magazine named Rushdie one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Early Life and Education
Salman Rushdie was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, on 19 June 1947. This was just before India became independent from British rule. His family was Kashmiri Muslim. His father, Anis Ahmed Rushdie, was a lawyer and businessman. His mother, Negin Bhatt, was a teacher. Salman has three sisters.
Rushdie wrote in his book Joseph Anton that his father chose the name Rushdie to honor a famous thinker named Averroes (Ibn Rushd). He remembers that seeing The Wizard of Oz made him want to be a writer. He also loved reading books by P. G. Wodehouse and Agatha Christie when he was a child.
He was fascinated by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. He could even recite poems like "Jabberwocky" from memory! He also enjoyed the Swallows And Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. When he was 16, he became obsessed with The Lord Of The Rings. He also read many science fiction books by writers like Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke.
Rushdie grew up in Bombay. He went to the Cathedral and John Connon School. In 1964, he moved to England to attend Rugby School. After that, he studied history at King's College, Cambridge, where he earned his degree.
Writing Career
Starting as a Copywriter
Before becoming a full-time writer, Rushdie worked as a copywriter for advertising companies. He created famous slogans like "irresistibubble" for Aero chocolate and "Naughty but Nice" for cream cakes. He also wrote "That'll do nicely" for American Express.
While working in advertising, Rushdie wrote his famous novel Midnight's Children. After that, he decided to become a writer all the time.
Major Literary Works
Early Novels and Breakthrough
Rushdie's first novel, Grimus (1975), was a science fiction story. It wasn't very well known. But his next book, Midnight's Children (1981), made him famous. This novel won the 1981 Booker Prize. It was even chosen as the best novel to win the prize in its first 25 and 40 years.
Midnight's Children tells the story of a child born exactly when India became independent. This child has special powers and a connection to other children born at that important time. The main character, Saleem Sinai, has been compared to Rushdie himself. However, Rushdie says that his characters are not exactly like him.
After Midnight's Children, Rushdie wrote Shame (1983). This book talks about political problems in Pakistan. Shame won a French award and was almost a Booker Prize winner too. Both these books use a style called magic realism. This means they mix real-world events with magical elements. They also show the view of someone who has moved from one country to another.
In 1987, Rushdie wrote a non-fiction book called The Jaguar Smile. This book is about Nicaragua and its political situation. He wrote it after visiting the country and seeing things for himself.
The Satanic Verses and Haroun and the Sea of Stories
His most talked-about book, The Satanic Verses, came out in 1988. This book caused a lot of controversy around the world. Some people found parts of it offensive to their religion. Because of this, a religious ruling (called a fatwa) was issued against him. This meant his life was in danger for many years.
After The Satanic Verses, he wrote Haroun and the Sea of Stories in 1990. This book was written while he was living under threat. It's about the importance of storytelling and how stories can be powerful. It defends the idea that stories are better than silence.
Later Works
Rushdie has also published many short stories. These are collected in East, West (1994). The Moor's Last Sigh (1995) is a long story about an Indian family over 100 years. The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999) is a modern version of an old myth. It also imagines a different history for rock music. The band U2 even has a song with the same name from the book.
His 2005 novel Shalimar the Clown was about love and betrayal. It is set in Kashmir and Los Angeles. Many critics liked this book a lot.
In his 2002 collection of essays, Step Across This Line, he shared his admiration for writers like Italo Calvino and Thomas Pynchon. Some of his early inspirations included Jorge Luis Borges and Lewis Carroll.
In 2008, he published The Enchantress of Florence. This book is about a European visitor to the court of Emperor Akbar in India. It mixes history with fantasy.
His novel Luka and the Fire of Life (2010) is a follow-up to Haroun and the Sea of Stories. In 2012, he published his memoirs, called Joseph Anton: A Memoir.
Recent Novels and Essays
In 2015, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights was published. It's a modern take on the famous One Thousand and One Nights stories. The book explores ideas about different cultures coming together. Writer Ursula K. Le Guin said that Rushdie is like Scheherazade, always telling new stories. She noted that like Scheherazade, Rushdie has also faced danger for his storytelling.
The Golden House (2017) is a funny novel set in modern America. In 2019, he published Quichotte, which is a modern version of the classic story Don Quixote.
Languages of Truth (2021) is a collection of essays he wrote. His fifteenth novel, Victory City, came out in February 2023. This book is an epic tale about a woman who creates a magical empire. It was his first book released after he was attacked in 2022. In April 2024, he published his autobiographical book Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.
Other Activities
Rushdie has helped and inspired many younger writers, especially those of Indian background. He is a very important writer in the field of postcolonial literature. He has also spoken out about free speech.
He was the President of PEN American Center from 2004 to 2006. This organization supports writers and free expression. He also started the PEN World Voices Festival. From 2007, he worked at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. His old writings and papers are kept there.
Rushdie is on the board of The Lunchbox Fund. This group provides meals to students in South Africa. He also supports groups that promote humanism and free thought. He believes that "free speech is life itself."
Film and Television Appearances
Even though he is a writer, Rushdie says he would have liked to be an actor if writing hadn't worked out. He often makes small appearances (cameos) in movies.
He had a cameo in the film Bridget Jones's Diary. In 2006, he was a guest host on The Charlie Rose Show. He interviewed filmmaker Deepa Mehta there. He also appeared in the film Then She Found Me. He was a guest on the HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher several times.
Rushdie helped write the movie script for the film version of his novel Midnight's Children. The movie was also called Midnight's Children and came out in 2012.
In 2011, Rushdie announced he was writing a TV series called The Next People. He said it would be a "paranoid science-fiction series" about people disappearing.
In 2017, Rushdie appeared as himself in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He gave advice to the main character, Larry David, about dealing with a "fatwa."
Awards and Recognition
Salman Rushdie has received many awards for his writing. These include the European Union's Aristeion Prize for Literature and the Premio Grinzane Cavour from Italy.
Some of his awards and honors are:
- Austrian State Prize for European Literature (1993)
- Booker Prize (1981)
- Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award (2014)
- James Joyce Award from University College Dublin (2008)
- PEN Pinter Prize (UK)
- St. Louis Literary Award from the Saint Louis University Library Associates
Knighthood
Rushdie was made a knight by the Queen in 2007 for his contributions to literature. He said he was "thrilled and humbled" by the honor. Some countries with many Muslim people protested this decision.
In 2022, he was also made a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. This is another high honor for his work in literature.
Personal Life
Rushdie has been married five times and has two children. His first four marriages ended in divorce. His first wife was Clarissa Luard. They had a son named Zafar, born in 1979. Zafar is married to jazz singer Natalie Coyle.
His second wife was American novelist Marianne Wiggins. His third wife was British editor Elizabeth West. They have a son named Milan, born in 1997.
In 2004, Rushdie married Padma Lakshmi, an Indian-born actress and model. They divorced in 2007. In 2021, Rushdie married American poet and novelist Rachel Eliza Griffiths.
In 1999, Rushdie had surgery for a condition called ptosis. This caused his upper eyelid to droop, making it hard to open his eyes. He said that without the operation, he would not have been able to open his eyes at all.
In 2022, Rushdie was attacked and seriously injured at an event in New York. He survived the attack but lost sight in his right eye and had injuries to his liver and hands. The attacker was found guilty of attempted murder and assault.
Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States, mostly in New York City. He is a fan of the English football club Tottenham Hotspur.
See also
In Spanish: Salman Rushdie para niños
- Blasphemy
- Criticism of Islam
- Censorship in South Asia
- Hysterical realism
- List of fatwas
- List of Indian writers
- PEN International
- Postmodern literature
