Author Salman Rushdie at the Church of St. Paul in Frankfurt, Germany, October 22, 2023.
Credit: Reuters
New Delhi: Salman Rushdie’s answer to violence is art as the author’s memoir about the knife attack he faced in 2022 is now set to hit the stands on April 16, publisher Penguin Random House India announced on Thursday.
In Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, Rushdie recalls in 'unforgettable details' the traumatic events of August 12, 2022 at the Chautauqua Institution when he was attacked by a man wearing a black mask, wielding a knife. The attack left Rushdie blind in the right eye.
The 76-year-old has recalled in the book the attack's aftermath, his journey toward physical recovery and healing.
"This was a necessary book for me to write: a way to take charge of what happened, and to answer violence with art," Rushdie said.
The 256-page book is "a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art-and finding the strength to stand up again".
For some time after Iran's Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa calling for Rushdie's death over alleged blasphemy in his novel The Satanic Verses, the writer lived in isolation and with round-the-clock security. But for years since, he had moved about with few restrictions, until the stabbing at the Chautauqua Institution.
"Knife by Salman Rushdie is an important book about the world we live, and the place of literature in it. It is a must read," Milee Ashwarya, publisher - Penguin Random House India, said in a statement.
His other works include the Booker Prize-winning Midnight's Children, Shame and The Moor's Last Sigh. Rushdie is also a prominent advocate for free expression and a former president of PEN America. He had also penned a third person memoir “Joseph Anton” about his years in hiding after the Fatwa.
"Knife is a searing book, and a reminder of the power of words to make sense of the unthinkable. We are honoured to publish it, and amazed at Salman’s determination to tell his story, and to return to the work he loves," Nihar Malaviya, CEO - Penguin Random House, said.