Due to unpleasant events some time ago, probably everyone in the world knows who Salman Rushdie is. If you don't (well, you might be too young or have lived under a rock for last two decades), google up Satanic Verses. Or fatwa.
I've read a few of Rushdie's novels years ago and I remember kinda liking him, but not really understanding what the fuss is about. In my 100% secular head I still don't. There is, though, one thing I had not known about Salman Rushdie until I read Step Across This Line - he is a superb essayist.
I love essays and other short non-fiction writings and I've become a bit of a connoisseur in this field. I know how to recognise great essays as opposed to mediocre ones.
As I was reading Step Across This Line, I kept muttering to myself: damn, he's good.
The book is a hodgepodge of mixed non-fiction pieces written between 1992 and 2002. There are essays 'proper' - about life, freedom and other serious stuff, but also about plain old rock'n'roll. There are columns re-printed from various newspapers, concerning mainly political and social events. There is also a collection of open letter style publications from the worst fatwa times - my least favourite part.
I do understand why Rushdie might want to see Iran sanctioned to death, I really do. I would probably feel the same in his place. Still, reading all those pages full of hatred and battle calls was not pleasant. I admit Rushdie was a target of outrageous persecution, but I would not like to see the whole country punished for this, so I couldn't applaud his activism. The writer is entitled to his anger, to voicing it, too, but I'm glad no trigger-happy politician rallied to his call.
Anger or no anger, the book is delicious. It seems that even fury is digestible when served by a top class writer.
No comments:
Post a Comment