Salman Rushdie recounts 2022 knife attack, recalls thinking he was dying

In an interview with the BBC, the 76-year-old British-American author revealed that he was stabbed up to 12 times by an accused individual while on stage in August 2022. The author admitted that losing an eye is something that “upsets me every day” and that his memoir, ‘Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,’ was his way of fighting back against what happened. He recounted the moment of the attack, describing the injuries he sustained and the feeling of imminent death. He recalled how the attacker came sprinting up the stairs and stabbed him numerous times in an attack lasting 27 seconds.

Rushdie detailed his ordeal, from lying in a pool of blood to being rushed to the hospital by helicopter and spending six weeks recovering there. He mentioned the lasting impact on his physical abilities and the challenge of daily tasks due to his injuries. The author also spoke about the threats he faced after the publication of ‘The Satanic Verses’ and how he had spent several years in hiding. He expressed his concerns about freedom of speech and emphasized the importance of permitting speech that one may not agree with.

Rushdie’s new book, ‘Knife,’ recounts the horror of the attack and is dedicated to the individuals who saved his life. He has an imaginary conversation with his attacker in the book and shared his thoughts on the survival instinct that drove him during the attack. Despite the challenges he continues to face, Rushdie considers himself lucky to have avoided brain damage and emphasized his determination to live. He is likely to come face-to-face with the accused in court when the trial gets underway later this year.

It is evident that the author’s traumatic experience has had a significant impact on his life and has influenced his perspective on freedom of speech and personal survival.