Book cover of Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

Book description

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him
 
On the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked Knife as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Knife is a searingly honest memoir about a horrific attack. It is both unputdownable, and also a complete workout for the brain. Salman Rushdie lets us into his heart and soul. I can't stop thinking about this book. It's bravery and perfect prose will stay with me for a long time.

Knife is a personal purging of Rushdie's experience of being seriously wounded in the attempt on his life--an old jihad coming to bear in his present. It was fascinating to see how he explored what had happened to him, the emotions and reactions it invoked, and the way in which it changed his life. I read it shortly after reading The Body Keeps Score, all about how trauma connects the body and the emotions, and here was a clear example of that response to trauma. It's also a love story, and the intertwining of the two creates an interesting juxtaposition.

Salman Rushdie Has long been one of my favorite writers. On the day of his attack, I was devastated. Salman Rushdie’s unique style of writing has always affected me. His writing style is so unique that it gets deep into your soul.

This book is extremely well written. It is moving and uplifting at the same time. It gave me hope that good can overcome evil. Salman Rushdie hides nothing from us in this book. 

The part of the book that affected me the most was where Salman has a make-believe conversation with his would-be murderer. It’s written so that…

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