Salman Rushdie on campus

Speaking of Fear

"On April 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Northrop Auditorium, Salman Rushdie will give a public lecture entitled, "Step Across This Line," also the title of his recently published non-fiction collection of essays. The book, Step Across This Line, a bright, furious, and deeply personal work, was written over 10 years, most of which were spent in hiding and under heavy security. In it, Rushdie sounds off about topics ranging from militant Islam to the post-9/11 world. In his talk, which is sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Study, Rushdie is expected to speak about similar topics, which have become ever more relevant in the context of the recent Mohammed cartoon controversy and the ongoing violence in the Middle East. "

This guy used to be the most wanted enemy of the Islamic world (perhaps Bush has taken over his place now). The late spiritual leader of Iran offered $3 millions for his head.

I have read one of his books, not the famous and controversial Satanic Verses but the more highly praised Midnight's Children, which received the so-called Booker of Bookers prize. It's brilliant, smart, imaginative and funny although it's not an easy read due to the funny Anglo-Indian language he used. It's a South Asian version of Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. And you can also learn a lot about South Asian history in the last 100 years by reading it. I have two of his other books including the Satanic Verses but lazy to read them. I guess them funny but difficult.

I may go to his lecture, but I'm too lazy to be sure about it. Anyway, he is famous not for his books but also for marrying a very beautiful and young Indian model although he is short, bald, fat and old. So I might give him a chance. Maybe he will tell us his love secrets there.