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Salman Rushdie (1947- ),
Postcolonial and postmodern Anglo-Indian novelist known for his use of
mythology, fantasy, religious and traditional materials in a series of works
with links to magical realism Grimus (1975), a novel with
elements of science fiction, fantasy, and mythology; the title is an anagram
of the word "Simurg" the Persian name for
a mythological bird endowed with magical powers. Midnight's
Children
(1981), earned Rushdie critical acclaim, international fame, and the Booker
Prize; story of the one thousand children of Saleem
Sinai after the Indian declaration of Independence; a satirical allegory of
Indian history including critical views of official population control
policies; the title of the novel is derived from the famous speech of Indian
independence delivered by Jawaharlal
Nehru (1889-1964) at midnight on August 14, 1947 (also
the year of Rushdie's birth). The
Satanic Verses
(1988), novel that earned the Whitebread Award and
made Rushdie the target of persecution and death threats from the Iranian
authorities and Muslim fundamentalists. The novel features a complex series
of adventures and dream material exploring issues of religious belief and of
the interpretation of Islamic religious scriptures. The title of the work
refers to verses, containing allusions to the goddesses Lat, Manat, and Uzza, that are said
to have been at some point incorporated into the Koran but later rejected as
"satanic." In the novel, a character named "Mahound" (the devil) and the revelations he receives
act as parodies of the prophet Mohammed and the Koran. Haroun and
the Sea of Stories (1990) a novel written for young people and in many
ways an effort by Rushdie to regain his own faith in storytelling after the
traumatic experience of the violent reactions against The Satanic Verses. The tale involves the storyteller Rashid Khalifa and his son Haroun who
embark on fantastic adventures in the moon Kahani
in an attempt to restore Rashid's connection to the "sea of
stories." The Moor's Last Sigh (1995) a novel dealing with issues of religious
intolerance, in particular the persecution of non-Hindus by right-wing
religious extremists in Fury (2001), a recent novel
in which the main protagonist, Malik Solanka, a Cambridge academic, leaves his wife and moves
to New York City in search for a new life. In Islam: A major world
religion first preached by Muhammad (Mohammed) in 7th-century Islamism, a political
ideology based on a radical, fundamentalist interpretation of the Koran and
characterized by strong opposition to Western political, economic, and cultural
dominance. Islamism seeks to establish a strict way of life based on Islamic
law and morality (Sharia) and to banish Western
presence, lifestyles, and other influences from Muslim countries. The 1979 Shi'ite Muslim revolution in Indian Independence from Britain (1947), an event in
many ways defining, for India and other nations, the end of colonial
occupation and the onset of the postcolonial era. Assassination of Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) by
Hindu fanatic opposed to his teachings on peace and religious tolerance. Gandhi
was one of the leaders of the movement for Indian indepencence
from Islamic Revolution in Iran-Contra Affair: secret negotiations of the U.S.
administration under Ronald Reagan arranging for the release of American
hostages in exchange for weapons' sales to Iran, a known supporter of
international terrorism. The money obtained by the |
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Other interesting biographies : [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
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