Joseph Anton

A Memoir

By: Salman Rushdie

Narrated by: Sam Dastor, Salman Rushdie

On February 14, 1989, Valentine's Day, Salman Rushdie was telephoned by a BBC journalist and told that he had been "sentenced to death" by the Ayatollah Khomeini. For the first time he heard the word fatwa. His crime? To have written a novel called The Satanic Verses, which was accused of being "against Islam, the Prophet and the Quran".

So begins the extraordinary story of how a writer was forced underground, moving from house to house, with the constant presence of an armed police protection team. He was asked to choose an alias that the police could call him by. He thought of writers he loved and combinations of their names; then it came to him: Conrad and Chekhov - Joseph Anton.

How do a writer and his family live with the threat of murder for more than nine years? How does he go on working? How does he fall in and out of love? How does despair shape his thoughts and actions, how and why does he stumble, how does he learn to fight back? In this remarkable memoir Rushdie tells that story for the first time; the story of one of the crucial battles, in our time, for freedom of speech. He talks about the sometimes grim, sometimes comic realities of living with armed policemen, and of the close bonds he formed with his protectors; of his struggle for support and understanding from governments, intelligence chiefs, publishers, journalists, and fellow writers; and of how he regained his freedom.

It is a book of exceptional frankness and honesty, compelling, provocative, moving, and of vital importance. Because what happened to Salman Rushdie was the first act of a drama that is still unfolding somewhere in the world every day.

This audiobook includes a prologue read by the author.

©2012 Salmon Rushdie (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"In Salman Rushdie... India has produced a glittering novelist -one with startling imaginative and intellectual resources, a master of perpetual storytelling." ( The New Yorker)

"Salman Rushdie has earned the right to be called one of our great storytellers." ( The Observer)

"Our most exhilaratingly inventive prose stylist, a writer of breathtaking originality." ( Financial Times)

Gripping and Fantasical

Santanic Versea likely will be remembered as the most controversial book of the later half of 20th century for the shear amount of political controversy it illicited globally, worthy or not. But what happens when you write one of the the most controversial books of the century?

Joseph Anton has the answer. Salmon Rushdie, in 3rd person, meanders through his entire life. Taking moments to ponder, life, love, religion and family from pre-fatwa to post. His journey takes him from his life as Salmon and his alias, Joseph, used under police protection.

The story is one of preserveance, despite some of his own short comings... A story that has him bumping shoulders (or more accurately rubbed) by Margaret Thacter, chats with Bill Clinton, dinners with Tony Blair, friendships with Christopher Hitchens, and even Bono. Despite what might have been mistook as glamour and ego was a caged man, who was barely able to leave his own house and difficulties performing basic father tasks with his son.

While Salmon, drops names frequently, to the point of blurring into the ether, what remains is story with personal victory with plenty off tragedy. Only knowing Salmon from appearances in the media, I finally was motivated to read one of his works and settled for the one that interested me the most. Having been narrowly old enough to claim to lived through the entire 80s, many of the books earlier events served as a portrait of the confusion of multiculturalism and a global society in a time I lived through but was not old enough to have meaningful comprehension. The extent of Iran's treachery even given today's misgivings is shocking, the British lack of desire to defend its own citizens is surprising and the global Islamophobia pandemic is current.

Salmon is a harsh judge of himself but also holds himself with regard, likely the same dignity that kept him sane. I enjoyed this book immensely, as Rushdie is passionate, insightful, and charasmatic.

Important book!

Ok, will you "like" this book? Not necessarily but you will be glad you read it. It explores the years and years of Salmon Rushdie's life while he was in hiding from the fatwa. It goes on and on, and he does not hide the truth: he is not a martyr or a perfect man, he is just a writer who crossed he Wrong people. Do you believe in religious fanaticism? Do you know the prequel to 9-11 ? Please take the time to listen to this and think about these very life and death matters.

Loved the humor

Slow start but it grew on me. My favorite parts were the ironical ones. Highly recommend.

A must read

Any additional comments?

Rushdie is a brilliant author (mainly novelist) and it’s a rare treat to read a memoir by someone who writes so well.

I hesitated to review this book because my prose pale in comparison to those of Salman Rushdie. But this is such an extraordinary work that I feel compelled to share my opinion, even if clumsily. “Joseph Anton” is the story behind the story for those of us old enough to remember what happened. And for younger people, or anyone who cares about our constitutionally granted freedom of expression, it’s an important reminder of how easily that right can be taken away.

Spellbinding. Storytelling at its best

If you could sum up Joseph Anton in three words, what would they be?

Spellbinding. Embracing. Poignant.

What about Sam Dastor and Salman Rushdie ’s performance did you like?

Some writers are not good narrators. Some are. Stephen King is a master narrator and so is Salman Rushdie. You hang onto every word. Sam Dastor has a similar cadence. Both voices work so well side by side and do not detract from the storytelling.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I commute long hours on the road and usually after an hour or so, I tend to take a break; listen to music or just turn off the audio. This book made me want to go on a long drive across the country just so that I could hear more of the story.

Any additional comments?

Do not hesitate to get this book even if you are not into memoir! It reads like a well written novel. Wonderfully told but is also informative, encompassing world history, social commentary and the inner workings of publishing. It is also filled with humor and anecdotes even in the darkest moments. The writing is so poignant that I found myself connecting to Rushdie as a man and found myself rooting for him throughout his journey.

A must-read if you love Rushdie's work

I fell in love with Rushdie's work when I was a 17-year-old freshman at college. My most difficult class was a junior level course called Modern Studies which required me to read 13 novels in 12 weeks. The first on the long list was Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories. I fell instantly and completely in love. That novel remains on my high atop my list of favorite (and most recommended) books of all-time, and I even fought to include it when I became a teacher myself, many years later.

I devoured Rushdie's bibliography over a number of years. As a teacher, I also researched his personal story and biographical materials. I was fascinated by him as a man, and continued to read his essays and writings as he continued to write.

This novel finally lifted the veil and gave the the story of Rushdie's fatwa from his own mouth. And it is just as interesting as I thought it would be. History buffs and lovers of literature will find the story compelling. Those interested in reading about the struggles of artists under the oppression of religious regimes for free speech would be equally engaged. However, it is worth mentioning that I do believe my background in Rushdie's work helped to ground me as I listen to this title. I am not sure how the experience would differ if I had not had that prior knowledge.

All together, this book is one I continue to recommend to friends who read non-fiction titles.

And, while you are at it, go select Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Midnight's Children as well. Rushdie does not disappoint.

Beautiful. Witty. Heartbreaking. Human.

Having never read any of Rushdie's books, I decided to take on this memoir based on his fame and well-known situation. First, I must say that the narrator was WONDERFUL. Second, I'm still listening. This is not a book to listen to in a rush or all at once. Best to listen for a bit at a time, so you can digest what you are receiving and roll it around in your mind before moving forward. Thoughtful. Intelligent. Profoundly human. Very entertaining in a subtle manner. I loved this one.

The best introduction to all his work

This ok d book should se the first one you read/ london stem and only after that will you enjoy fully Salam’s work. It helped me see this books with a different view. I warmly recommend d you listening it.

A man's freedoms taken away for his own safety

This autobiography is written in the third person which makes it sound weird. It adds a layer of effort on the part of the reader to decode to each event. Each time I read something shocking, as happens quite often in this book, it sounded like a fictionalization. But then I felt surprise with the realization that it actually happened! It was allowed to happen. By an entire religion full of, among other things, evil men. This book is mostly about other, braver men who protected its author. And also the red tape that robbed him of his freedom for a very long time. There's also a healthy amount of love and joy in it. Some dark comedy. And what some might decry as too much of the truth.

Really surprised I enjoyed it this much.

I would rate this in the top 10 out of the 75 books I have listened to. The narrator was excellent - switching into different voices that were very entertaining. Rushdie's writing was very smooth and enjoyable. Satanic Verses is next on my list to listen to.

Way to go Joe... :)