Knife

Meditations After an Attempted Murder

By: Salman Rushdie

Narrated by: Salman Rushdie

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

#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 give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black—black clothes, black mask—rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are.

What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide.

Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also 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.

©2024 Salman Rushdie (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Candid, plain-spoken and gripping . . . Knife is a clarifying book. It reminds us of the threats the free world faces. It reminds us of the things worth fighting for.”—The New York Times

“Knife isn’t so much about pondering imminent death than it is an affirmation—an insistence—on returning to life.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“The subject—the idea for which Rushdie nearly died—is the freedom to say what he wants . . . Rushdie survived, but he has too many scars to be certain that the idea will. This book is his way of fighting back.”—The Atlantic

A meditation on life

Beautifully crafted with the kind of emotional honesty that engenders optimism in life’s darkest moments.

Perseverance

Against all odds Salman again rises, as an example, for people like me to benefit from his life on earth.

A Love Story

I was at the opening week at Chautauqua in 2023 when the new security procedures were implemented. Many people grumbled about the inconvenience. All I could think of was it was a small price to pay to protect the voice of a Salman Rushdie. After listening to him read Knife to me, I’m even more resolute in that belief. Mr. Rushdie in all his eloquence has expressed how love and goodness can heal and how religion and evil can destroy. This is a beautiful account of a horrific incident. This is the power of words and the powerlessness of a knife.

Amazing!

Great story, personal touch and so honest. Will listen to it again soon. Highly recommend.

How the author articulated the moment of the attack

Liked his telling of the road back to a full life and descriptions of the medical staff.

Interesting!

A personal and very interesting look into the aftermath of the attack on Rushdie, as well as being a lovely description of his relationship with his wife. Having only read a couple of his books and being too young to remember much of the media coverage of the fatwa, the book did require some background-google'ing at times. however, it did an overall good job at being possible to follow without dwelling too much time on the past.

I was surprised at how much I liked Rushdie's depiction of his attacker: While it could be argued that being depicted by an author of Rushdie's caliber is an honor, one cannot help but cheer at the absolute *burn* it is to tell someone that they seem so irrelevant, that the version of you they made up, is more interesting than the real one.

Rushdie is a treasure

I’ve loved his books all my life, but Knife offered a wonderfully intimate and unique glimpse into his mind in and around the terrifying attack. It’s above all else a love story, and he is unflinching unapologetic about that. This brazenness - given his age and the number of marriages in his wake - was so refreshing it cracked open my calcified heart ever so slightly. Is that uncomfortable feeling I’m having hope? Rushdie is a magician!

Odd title for a love story

An engrossing look into the inner workings of the mind of this brilliant author. But, still an odd title for a love story.

Powerful Writing

Reminiscent of Capote’s “In Cold Blood”. It encompasses all realms of human emotion from a powerful first person narrative.

A love story!

A beautiful love story. A victory of love and light against darkness. Full of witty remarks, earnest and humorous simultaneously, a feast! Thank you SR.