Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife: Meditations After Attempted Murder’ is a Narrative of Survival, Vulnerability, and Creative Resilience
- The memoir delves into the horror of the attack on the celebrated author in August 2022, and his arduous recovery.
Even after Orpheus was torn to pieces, his severed head kept singing — floating down the river.
Premise, Premonition, and Themes
Salman Rushdie lived under the shadow of a fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 for his book “The Satanic Verses.” Despite the threats, he established a semblance of normalcy over 25 years in New York City. “In Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” Rushdie recounts the surreal events of August 2022, beginning with a deceptively ordinary day.
The memoir opens with Rushdie preparing for a speaking engagement in Chautauqua, upstate New York. He donned a new Ralph Lauren suit, tucked a check for his speaking fee into his pocket to help cover the cost of replacing an HVAC system, and stepped into what felt like just another routine event in his literary career. Yet, this seemingly mundane day unraveled into horror. An assassin approached him in slow motion, stabbing him 15 times. Rushdie recalls it as “the last innocent evening,” vividly describing the full moon’s reflection on the lake before the attack.
Rushdie shares a haunting dream he had prior to the event, where a gladiator’s spear struck him in an amphitheater — a chilling premonition of the violence to come. He reflects on the eerie parallels between his experience and the fate of the protagonist
Pampa Kampana in his novel “Victory City,” who also suffers a loss of sight. He recounts the precise locations of the blade strikes, the irreparable damage — including the blinding of his right eye — and speculates about where the knife was obtained. In the chaos, Rushdie thought the moment of death had arrived. Yet, his determination to survive was fueled by thoughts of his loved ones: his fifth wife, Rachel Eliza Griffiths (“Eliza”), his sons Zafar and Milan, his grandchildren, his sister, and his nieces. His overwhelming urge was to say goodbye to them all.
Recovery and Reflection
The book delves into the horror of the attack and Rushdie’s arduous recovery: the frantic efforts of audience members to save him, his airlift to the hospital, and the agonizing ordeal of being placed on a ventilator (described as “an armadillo tail shoved down your throat”). He endured multiple surgeries, extensive rehabilitation, and the searing pain of urinary infections and hospital beds that seemed to scream. Rushdie compares his damaged eye to a soft-boiled egg, stitched shut, and recounts the glittering, psychedelic hallucinations caused by fentanyl. He describes the bizarre tools of a Chinese physiotherapist who helped repair his scarred tendons and wrists. Time, he says, moved both fast and slow in this twilight world of recovery.
Financial burdens compounded the physical toll. Rushdie shares details of a $18,000 bill for jaw realignment surgery that allowed him to eat again. A scare about prostate cancer further complicated his journey. Yet, amidst the suffering, there were moments of joy and gratitude — especially Eliza, who stayed by his side throughout the ordeal, even in the most uncomfortable hospital settings.
Rushdie reflects on their quiet engagement during the pandemic and their intimate marriage, where they exchanged garlands and jumped over a broomstick. He recalls their joyful honeymoon in Italy with friends in the summer of 2022 and Eliza’s tireless support during his recovery and an emotional cry of relief when he finally returned home: “My husband’s home.”
Free Speech and Closure
The memoir transcends the personal to meditate on the fragility of free speech in the modern world. Rushdie revisits the controversy surrounding “The Satanic Verses,” the fatwa that has loomed over his life since 1989, and the ongoing threats to artistic expression. In a poignant imagined interview with his would-be assassin, Rushdie grapples with the mindset of a 24-year-old who had never read his books, spent four years in a basement, and was radicalized online. Rushdie calls it a uniquely American attack, where the assailant was brainwashed to target a stranger.
In a philosophical four-part dialogue, Rushdie engages with his attacker’s motivations, even offering “the enemy an even break.” He expresses gratitude for the solidarity of the literary community, the support of friends, and a message from President Biden. The memoir concludes with Rushdie’s triumphant return to Chautauqua, revisiting the scene of the crime. Dressed once more in a Ralph Lauren suit, he finds closure and transforms tragedy into a testament to resilience and grit. He even humorously recounts his feet “dancing” on their own accord.
Final Thoughts on Rushdie’s Writing Process
“Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder’ is a narrative of survival, vulnerability, and creative resilience. Rushdie wields his pen like a knife, fighting back against despair with introspection, flight of ideas (some inherent, some fueled by trauma and pian killers) and unique storytelling.
The memoir is filled with lyrical meditations: comparing himself to a cloche, lying “saignant” on the floor (as if cooked rare), and musing on “Red Rum,” murder spelled backward. Rushdie weaves in memories from his childhood, his aunt’s home (Happy Home), his mother’s requests for foot massages (“dabao”), and treasured books—from Winnie the Pooh to Oedipus and Ulysses.
Rushdie’s reflections range widely, from the scent that captivates Mole in The Wind in the Willows to Meryl Streep’s Let Them All Talk. He recalls the spaceship wounding the moon’s eye in One Hundred Years of Solitude and Anne Frank’s enduring legacy.
Ultimately, Knife is not just a recounting of trauma but a celebration of survival, art, and the human spirit. It is a book about coming home—back to his bed, his books, and the enduring power of stories to heal and transform.
Critics have praised Knife for its raw honesty and masterful prose. According to Book Marks, the memoir received six “rave” and five “positive” reviews out of thirteen, with critics lauding Rushdie’s courage and his commitment to artistic freedom.
With one foot in Huntsville, Alabama, the other in her birth home India, and a heart steeped in humanity, writing is a contemplative practice for Monita Soni. She has published hundreds of poems, movie reviews, book critiques, and essays and contributed to combined literary works. Her two books are My Light Reflections and Flow through My Heart. You can hear her commentaries on Sundial Writers Corner WLRH 89.3FM.