I've heard Rushdie interviewed about this incident and I admit, I have not read most of his novels. Although I was familiar with his descriptions of the attack, I appreciated the reflective tone which comes across in print. In particular, I enjoyed his reckoning with yet another dramatic incident which can define him more than his work. ( )

In August of 2022, a young man with a knife attacked Salman Rushdie as the renowned author was delivering a lecture. Rushdie sustained multiple injuries and lost the vision in one eye along with the functionality of one of his hands. Rushdie’s latest book, Knife, documents what happened on that bright August morning, as well as the author’s surprising physical and psychological recovery.

For a short book, Knife is remarkably wide ranging. Rushdie goes into detail about all his ailments, both attack-induced and not, as well as his nuanced thoughts regarding religion, literature, and his fellow authors. He discusses his tabloid images as “a party animal” and “not a nice man.” In the most touching moments of this memoir, he expresses his love and gratitude towards his (fifth) wife and adult children. In my least favorite part of the book, Rushdie imagines a dialogue between himself and his attacker. This part felt like padding.

Despite Rushdie’s reputation for literary complexity, I found this memoir engaging and accessible. Highly recommended. ( )