Hanif Kureishi: A freak accident left me paralysed - and it broke me
Nov 1, 2024
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Hanif Kureishi, an acclaimed novelist and playwright, discusses his life-altering experience following a fall that left him paralysed. He shares insights from his new book, Shattered, capturing the duality of his identity as both a writer and a tetraplegic. The conversation delves into the emotional upheaval and existential fears following his accident, the challenges of documenting personal trauma, and the role of community support in healing. Hanif reflects on his vibrant creative journey and the transformative power of storytelling amidst adversity.
Hanif Kureishi's desire to write serves as a critical lifeline for expressing his profound experiences following a life-altering accident.
The sudden paralysis Kureishi suffered emphasizes life's fragility, illustrating how random events can drastically change one's reality in an instant.
His injury led to unexpected deepening of relationships, showcasing how crises can often foster human connectivity and reveal hidden kindness.
Deep dives
The Writer's Resilience
The desire to write is integral to one's identity, as prominently displayed by Hanif Qureshi. After suffering a life-changing injury that left him tetraplegic, he immediately felt an urge to express his experiences through writing. Despite his physical limitations, he creatively constructed blog posts in his mind, dictating them to his partner for publication. This instinct to articulate his challenges showcases the powerful connection between personal suffering and the drive to communicate and create art.
Life-Altering Accidents
The sudden nature of Qureshi's accident highlights the fragility of life, as he went from contemplating dinner to being paralyzed in an instant. He was watching a football game when he fainted, which led to a catastrophic fall that broke his neck. In the hospital, he interacted with others who had similarly unexpected injuries, drawing attention to the indiscriminate nature of accidents that can strike anyone. This experience brings a sobering realization of one’s vulnerability and the randomness of life.
Unexpected Connections
A profound shift occurs in Qureshi's relationships following his injury, revealing the true depth of human connectivity. As his loved ones mobilize to care for him, he witnesses their kindness and willingness to support him in ways he never sought before. His interactions with various caregivers expose a world of shared experiences and kindness that he had previously overlooked. These involvements not only redefine his relationships but also indicate how crises can often strengthen human bonds.
The Impact of Cultural Identity
Qureshi reflects on his mixed-race background and how it has shaped his writing throughout his life. Growing up as a minority in the UK informed his perspective and fueled his ambitions as an artist, particularly amid the racial struggles in the society of his youth. He emphasizes the importance of having a unique voice and a subject to write about, and his writings often address the complexities and nuances of British multiculturalism. His narrative reveals that the representation of diverse voices in literature enriches society's understanding of its own history and culture.
The Nature of Ambition
Despite facing significant challenges after his accident, Qureshi maintains a clear vision of his ambitions for the future. His desire to write continues unabated, and he is in the process of creating new works, including a sequel to his memoir. He acknowledges the importance of hope and purpose in navigating the aftermath of trauma, as creative expression remains vital for his emotional well-being. This resilience highlights the human spirit's capacity to adapt and find meaning, even in the darkest of circumstances.
"I really need a future. What happened to me is so dark and so depressing that I've got to believe in something."
On Boxing Day 2022, Hanif Kureishi's life changed forever. The acclaimed novelist and playwright had a fall that left him paralysed, a single, shattering moment that split his life in two. In this episode, Hanif tells James about the life he lived before the accident and what's happened since.
Hanif has written about this extraordinary experience in his new book, Shattered, a deeply personal account of the accident and its profound aftermath. Shattered is available to buy now.
This episode contains offensive language and sensitive topic discussions including racism. Listener discretion is advised.
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