‘Midnight’s Children’ completes 40 years; here are other must-reads by Salman Rushdie

From magic realism to controversial topics, Rushdie’s novels testify to his range. Here are some more books by the author that should be on your reading list.

Author Salman Rushdie was born in Mumbai, and in one of his most popular books, ‘Midnight’s Children’, the city plays an important part. 
‘Midnight’s Children’ won the 1981 Booker Prize. It was also awarded the Booker of Bookers in 1993 and The Best of the Booker in 2008, on the 25th and on the 40th anniversary of the prize respectively. 

Now that the book itself completed 40 years, and to mark the occasion, Rushdie tweeted a photo of himself and wrote: “Midnight’s Children was published 40 years ago this week. Here’s a picture of me, in a daze, making some sort of speech after winning the Booker Prize later that year. (Sorry about the cigarette.)”. 

Midnight’s Children was published 40 years ago this week. Here’s a picture of me, in a daze, making some sort of speech after winning the Booker Prize later that year. (Sorry about the cigarette.) pic.twitter.com/3JT7nblxEZ

— Salman Rushdie (@SalmanRushdie) April 2, 2021

From magic realism to controversial topics, Rushdie’s novels testify to his range. Here are some more books by the author that should be on your reading list. 

The Moor's Last Sigh

‘The Moor's Last Sigh’ is about the narrator, Moraes ‘Moor’ Zogoiby’s family. It traces the different generations of his family. Moraes also suffers from a disorder which causes his physical body to age at twice the normal rate. The book also delves into his personal relationships. In this novel, Rushdie references important cultural and historical events. 

The Ground Beneath Her Feet

Rushdie re-imagines the myth of Orpheus, and tells the story of Vina Apsara, a singer, and Ormus Cama, a musician. The story of their romance and music is narrated by Rai, who has a connection with both of them. The novel celebrates the influence of rock ’n’ roll. The story takes place at a time when rock music’s popularity was on the rise.

Shalimar the Clown

The story revolves around Maximilian Ophuls, America’s counterterrorism chief, his Kashmiri Muslim driver, Max’s illegitimate daughter India; and a woman who is the common link between them. It is a tale of love, loss and other emotions. The narrative moves across continents and we eventually get to know how these characters' paths crossed in the past.

Quichotte

This was released in 2019 and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize the same year. The story is about Sam DuChamp, a mediocre author of spy thrillers. He creates the character Quichotte, who falls in love with a TV personality. And along with his imaginary son Sancho, Quichotte begins a journey across America to prove that he is worthy of her. As the story progresses, one can see the lives of the character Quichotte and DuChamp intertwine.

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