Salman Rushdie, an acclaimed novelist celebrated for works like "Midnight's Children," joins journalist Razia Iqbal to explore pivotal moments that shaped his life. Rushdie reflects on a silver ingot representing unpartitioned India, the evocative lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," and the powerful prose of James Joyce’s "The Dead." He dives into themes of identity, heritage, and the complexities of cancel culture, all while discussing the enduring impact of literature in a rapidly changing world.
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Silver Ingot
Salman Rushdie's first gift, a silver ingot with pre-partition India's map, connects him to his childhood.
Given at one day old, it symbolizes a unified India, reflecting his parents' secularist views.
insights INSIGHT
Bombay vs. Mumbai
Rushdie values the original name 'Bombay,' seeing 'Mumbai' as artificial, like 'Ho Chi Minh City' replacing 'Saigon'.
He prefers traditional names for ancient Indian cities but believes Bombay, a British creation, has no prior claim.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Discovering Joyce
Discovering James Joyce's 'The Dead' through a girlfriend's dissertation, Rushdie explored Joyce's works 'backwards'.
Starting with the complex 'Finnegan's Wake,' he found increasing accessibility, culminating in the deeply moving 'Dubliners'.
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In 'The Idea of India', Sunil Khilnani delves into the rich historical, cultural, and political tapestry of India, examining the various ideas and ideologies that have shaped the nation's identity. The book covers India's journey from ancient civilizations to its modern challenges, highlighting its diverse cultures, religions, and languages. Khilnani explores themes such as democracy, diversity, identity, and globalization, offering insights into how India has managed to endure as a democratic nation despite numerous challenges.
Dubliners
James Joyce
Dubliners is a collection of short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. The stories are arranged to track the lives of Dubliners from childhood to old age, exploring themes such as the 'paralysis' of Irish society, the desire for escape, and the intersection of life and death. Each story features a different plot and characters but is connected by the theme of epiphany, where characters experience life-changing moments of revelation. The collection is known for its realistic portrayal of Dublin life, highlighting issues such as alcoholism, religious tension, and political concerns of the time[1][3][4].
Midnight's Children
Salman Rushdie
The novel tells the story of Saleem Sinai, who is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the moment of India's independence from British rule. Saleem's life is intricately linked with the history of India, and he possesses telepathic powers that allow him to communicate with other 'midnight children' born between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. on that date. Each of these children has unique magical powers, and Saleem acts as a conduit to connect them. The story spans various historical events in India, including the partition, wars, and the Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi. It explores themes of identity, history, and the fragmented nature of a newly independent nation[1][3][4].
Acclaimed novelist Salman Rushdie joins journalist Razia Iqbal to take us back in time and discuss three influential touchstones of his life: a silver ingot engraved with an unpartitioned map of India, Bob Dylan’s ‘Mr. Tambourine man’, and James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’, a slightly intimidating but powerful inspiration.
This episode was originally released in 2021 as part of Intelligence Squared’s touchstones series and produced by Head of Podcasts Farah Jassat
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