Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 2,248 ratings

Price: 1.99

Last update: 12-20-2024


About this item

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him
 
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, Time, NPR, Town & Country, Kirkus Reviews

On the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black—black clothes, black mask—rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are.

What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide.

 Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again.

From the Publisher

The Guardian praises Rushdie’ wit, his wisdom, his stoicism,his love of all culture.

Language was my knife. It could be the tool I would use to remake and reclaim my world.

The New York Times says Reminds us of the things worth fighting for.

When you are given a second chance at life, what do you do with it?

Art is not a luxury. It stands at the essence of our humanity.

Jon Stewart says I love this book. It’s a beautiful work of introspection.

I have always believed that love is a force, that in its most potent form it can move mountains.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Janet
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant man
    Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2024
    I loved every page. I had never read any of his books but now plan to read others. Every sentence was beautifully formed. This is a story of bravery and the power of love.
  • Ashok
    5.0 out of 5 stars spellbinding
    Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
    What an amazing, spellbinding and moving read. The triumph of the human spirit even in the face of near death and debilitating injury is eloquently and profoundly captured in this visceral book which is destined to be a classic.
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the account of attack and aftermath but....
    Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
    The first five chapters of the book are well-written and captivating (about 130 pages). I couldn't put it down. Chapters 6-8 (about 1/3 of the book) had some interesting elements. However, the imagined conversation between Rushdie and his assailant felt contrived; though we get good insight into Rushdies' beliefs, creating a conversation with the attacker was unnecessary and tiresome.
    I also agree with other reviewers about Rushdie's constant literary references (most of which add little to the story) and his need to point out how accomplished and connected he is. We know, Salman. We know.
  • Zachary Mayer
    5.0 out of 5 stars hard to put down
    Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2024
    Really good. Very weird, very funny too.

    Who else has had a character from one of their books attempt to murder them?
  • C. Wakefield
    5.0 out of 5 stars a life revisited
    Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2024
    I had not read any of Salman Rushdie’s books before I saw and bought Knife. Of course I knew who he was and the fatwa but those were passing stories which did not touch my world.
    What a mistake I made but I have time to ready it and read more. Rushdie’s story flows with grace and a strong truth as to the facts of his attack and the aftermath but is never sentimental nor cloying. There’s no begging for sympathy, no oh poor me. But beautifully crafted sentences which flow back and forward through the relevant parts of his life to the well set conclusion. All may be forgiven, made peace perhaps but certainly not forgotten.
  • FH
    3.0 out of 5 stars An authentic and reflective memoir of battling intolerance
    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
    KNIFE: Meditations After an Attempted Murder | Salman Rushdie, Random House (2024) 224p

    Salman Rushdie’s "KNIFE" emerges not merely as a memoir following a profound personal crisis but as a meditative, philosophical exploration of violence, survival, and the indomitable spirit of the word against the sword. With "KNIFE," Rushdie again demonstrates why he remains one of our most crucial voices against the fascism of certainty.

    Rushdie’s self-reflections are neither deep nor profound. He is a much better writer than he is a thinker. His orthodox critical theory genuflections grow tiresome. But as a survivor on the front lines in the battle for free minds, he’s a hero.

    The book’s 224 pages are not just a recounting of the horrific attack on Rushdie but introspection and interrogation of the forces that continue to shape our discourse around freedom of speech and extremism.
    Was
    In "KNIFE," Rushdie’s narrative weaves through the personal and the universal, tying his near-fatal encounter to the ongoing global struggle against authoritarianism and fanaticism. His prose, as ever, is sharp, incisive, and earnest. He doesn’t just recount the event but uses it as a lens to scrutinize the nature of hate, the burden of fear, and the courage it takes to speak one's truth in the face of potential annihilation.

    Rushdie’s latest work is compelling in its refusal to concede to despair. His meditations on the knife, both as a physical object that nearly ended his life and as a symbol of broader cultural and religious conflicts, serve as a poignant reminder of the stakes involved in the battle for artistic and intellectual liberty.

    Rushdie also addresses a particularly controversial aspect surrounding the aftermath of his attack— reactions like that of ex-President Jimmy Carter, whom Rushdie correctly notes offered an undue defense of his assailant.

    Rushdie's engagement with Carter's stance is a rebuttal and a deeper inquiry into how narratives are shaped after violence against public figures. He questions the implications of empathizing with a perpetrator of violence and the danger of diminishing the severity of such acts through well-intended yet misdirected advocacy.

    The irony of Rushdie, a member of the established woke literati, getting attacked by a terrorist and then having his fellow travelers defend them does not get a robust reflection. It does not prompt Rushdie to consider that his worldview has helped radicalize, not subvert, the attacker.

    In conclusion, "KNIFE" is a significant cultural and literary contribution that deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone who values the power of the written word to challenge, transform, and transcend even the most dire circumstances.
    Customer image
    FH
    3.0 out of 5 stars An authentic and reflective memoir of battling intolerance
    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
    KNIFE: Meditations After an Attempted Murder | Salman Rushdie, Random House (2024) 224p

    Salman Rushdie’s "KNIFE" emerges not merely as a memoir following a profound personal crisis but as a meditative, philosophical exploration of violence, survival, and the indomitable spirit of the word against the sword. With "KNIFE," Rushdie again demonstrates why he remains one of our most crucial voices against the fascism of certainty.

    Rushdie’s self-reflections are neither deep nor profound. He is a much better writer than he is a thinker. His orthodox critical theory genuflections grow tiresome. But as a survivor on the front lines in the battle for free minds, he’s a hero.

    The book’s 224 pages are not just a recounting of the horrific attack on Rushdie but introspection and interrogation of the forces that continue to shape our discourse around freedom of speech and extremism.
    Was
    In "KNIFE," Rushdie’s narrative weaves through the personal and the universal, tying his near-fatal encounter to the ongoing global struggle against authoritarianism and fanaticism. His prose, as ever, is sharp, incisive, and earnest. He doesn’t just recount the event but uses it as a lens to scrutinize the nature of hate, the burden of fear, and the courage it takes to speak one's truth in the face of potential annihilation.

    Rushdie’s latest work is compelling in its refusal to concede to despair. His meditations on the knife, both as a physical object that nearly ended his life and as a symbol of broader cultural and religious conflicts, serve as a poignant reminder of the stakes involved in the battle for artistic and intellectual liberty.

    Rushdie also addresses a particularly controversial aspect surrounding the aftermath of his attack— reactions like that of ex-President Jimmy Carter, whom Rushdie correctly notes offered an undue defense of his assailant.

    Rushdie's engagement with Carter's stance is a rebuttal and a deeper inquiry into how narratives are shaped after violence against public figures. He questions the implications of empathizing with a perpetrator of violence and the danger of diminishing the severity of such acts through well-intended yet misdirected advocacy.

    The irony of Rushdie, a member of the established woke literati, getting attacked by a terrorist and then having his fellow travelers defend them does not get a robust reflection. It does not prompt Rushdie to consider that his worldview has helped radicalize, not subvert, the attacker.

    In conclusion, "KNIFE" is a significant cultural and literary contribution that deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone who values the power of the written word to challenge, transform, and transcend even the most dire circumstances.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Karen A. Mitchell
    5.0 out of 5 stars An American story of survival and love
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2024
    Salman Rushdie writes with such strength and depth. He shows the world he has survived and shares his success with everyone who played a part. Even as his body struggled to mend, his brilliance and intellectual level remained in tact.
    I have read countless stories of survival against all odds and have witnessed several examples. Salman, while painting a portrait of the events, made you want to be more educated; more conscious of the world around us; more open to the possibilities of life.
    To anyone who may be considering choosing this book, please make this choice. You will come to know a truly compassionate and resilient man who has had the great fortune to find the love of his life. That is the message of the book entitle The Knife.
  • Bay Area book lover
    4.0 out of 5 stars gripping meditation of death and living
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024
    I often struggle with Rushdie’s novels, but KNIFE is a gripping and contemplative account of his near death and slow recovery following an attack by a knife-wielding youth. I found his account of his physical healing process very brave and honest. He’s unflinching in his assessment of the aftermath of the attack. I found less interesting his hypothetical conversation with his assailant and the constant name-dropping throughout (yes, we know you are famous and brilliant). But I forgive him these moments because he *is* brilliant and brave to make free speech and determined secularism his platform as a writer.

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