Knife: Meditations After an Attempted MurderKnife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder
What it's about
In August 2022, Salman Rushdie was about to give a lecture in Chautauqua, New York, when a young man ran onstage and stabbed him repeatedly, more than thirty years after the fatwa calling for his death. Rushdie survived but lost an eye. He writes about the attack, his recovery, his wife's love, and imagines a conversation with his attacker.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It's a powerful book about violence, love and the power of words.
You'll love it if you liked
A Grief Observed
The Year of Magical Thinking
My Next BreathGood to know
His injuries are described in detail.
By the numbers
- Readers30 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics28 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz51 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #230 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #333 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1936 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Salman Rushdie
Midnight's Children
Quichotte
The Satanic Verses
The Moor's Last SighIf you like this, read next
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Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
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Quick answers
Is Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It ranks #1,936 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder about?
In August 2022, Salman Rushdie was about to give a lecture in Chautauqua, New York, when a young man ran onstage and stabbed him repeatedly, more than thirty years after the fatwa calling for his death. Rushdie survived but lost an eye. He writes about the attack, his recovery, his wife's love, and imagines a conversation with his attacker.
How long does it take to read Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder?
About 6 hours (225 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder?
If you liked it, try A Grief Observed by CS Lewis, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion or My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner.