The News Agents Salman Rushdie on political violence, free speech and BBC "cowardice"
45 snips
Nov 28, 2025 
Salman Rushdie, the acclaimed novelist behind Midnight's Children and The Satanic Verses, shares insights from his new book The Eleventh Hour. He reflects on mortality following his life-altering attack in 2022 and how it reshaped his outlook. Rushdie critiques rising political violence, the BBC's censorship, and the state of free speech in America. He discusses societal fractures, Brexit's impact, and the troubling rise of authoritarianism. Despite challenges, he emphasizes the enduring power of literature and confirms his commitment to continue writing fiction.
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Mortality Sharpens Urgency
- Facing mortality sharpened Salman Rushdie's sense of life's value and urgency.
- He says a close escape gives an extra lease that should not be wasted.
Complaining Men Who Are Full Of Life
- Rushdie recounts meeting old men in Madras who bitterly complained yet were full of life.
- Their antagonism masked affection and intimacy beneath the bickering.
Personal Threat As Early Warning
- Rushdie sees his 1989 fatwa as an early signal of growing political violence globally.
- He compares it to a Hitchcock scene where one bird becomes many, implying escalation.
