SALMAN RUSHDIE
Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist and essayist. His style is often classified
as magical realism mixed with historical fiction, and a dominant theme of his work
is the story of the many connections, disruptions and migrations between the Eastern
and Western worlds. His fourth novel was the centre of a major controversy, drawing
protests from Muslims in several countries. Some of the protests were violent, in
which death threats were issued to Rushdie. He was appointed a Knight Bachelor by
Queen Elizabeth II for "services to literature" in June 2007 and holds the rank Commandeur
in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France. He began a five-year term as Distinguished
Writer in Residence at Emory University in 2007. He was elected to the American Academy
of Arts and Letters.
Published works include the novels Grimus, Midnight's Children, Shame, The Satanic
Verses, The Moor's Last Sigh, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Fury, Shalimar the Clown,
and The Enchantress of Florence. He also wrote the short story collections Homeless
by Choice; East, West; and served as guest editor for the 2007 edition of The Best
American Short Stories. His children's books include Haroun & the Sea of Stories and
Luka & The Fire of Life. His non-fiction literature includes The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan
Journey and Imaginary Homelands: Essays and Criticism.