Salman Rushdie, who lost an eye in a 2022 stabbing attack, is working on a new fiction project, as he revealed during the Lviv BookForum.
His upcoming work will consist of three novellas, each about 70 pages long, representing the three significant regions in his life: India, England, and America. Rushdie said the stories will explore “the idea of an ending” in different ways.
Joining the Ukrainian literature festival via videolink, Rushdie primarily spoke about his latest book, Knife, which chronicles his recovery from the August 2022 attack at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.
In a conversation with Ukrainian author Oleksandr Mykhed, Rushdie reflected on his age and creative output, admitting that he likely has only a few more books left to write. He also referenced the writings of philosopher Theodor Adorno and critic Edward Said on “late style” in artistic careers, noting that it can embody either serenity, rage, or both.
The novellas mark Rushdie’s first fiction endeavor since the attack, though his novel Victory City was published in 2023 after being completed beforehand.
Rushdie also expressed his support for Ukraine, comparing his personal recovery to the nation’s struggle. He emphasized the importance of controlling one’s narrative, saying, “Whether personal or political, controlling the story is where power lies.” This philosophy, he said, drove him to write Knife, reclaiming his story from the attacker.
Rushdie described Knife as a clash between love and death, bigotry and beauty, highlighting the support he received from his wife, poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths. Griffiths, who documented his recovery on video, plans to use the footage for a documentary.
At the Lviv BookForum, where Rushdie’s talk had standing-room only, Ukrainian and international authors gathered for events in historic venues like the 16th-century Powder Tower. Despite the Russian invasion, the festival has continued uninterrupted for 31 years.
The trial of Hadi Matar, the 26-year-old charged with second-degree attempted murder for the attack, is set to begin on October 15. Matar, who has pleaded not guilty, also faces a federal terrorism charge. His trial was delayed to allow the publication of Knife, which could provide evidence for the defense.
Rushdie also reflected on the long shadow cast by the 1989 fatwa issued after the publication of The Satanic Verses, which led to protests and violence, including the murder of his Japanese translator. His memoir Joseph Anton recounts his years in hiding during that period.
Rushdie’s literary career has been marked by numerous accolades, including the 1981 Booker Prize for Midnight’s Children, which also won the Booker of Bookers in 1994 and the Best of the Booker in 2008.
