Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Salman Rushdie
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Salman Rushdie made an impact.
Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born British and American novelist known for blending magic realism and historical fiction. His work explores the relationships between Eastern and Western civilizations, often focusing on the Indian subcontinent. He is celebrated for his second novel, Midnight's Children (1981), which won the Booker Prize and was twice recognized as the best novel among all Booker Prize winners on the 25th and 40th anniversaries.
1975: Publication of Grimus
In 1975, Salman Rushdie's debut novel, the science fiction tale Grimus, was published but generally ignored.
1981: Publication of Midnight's Children
In 1981, Salman Rushdie published his novel Midnight's Children, which brought him widespread recognition.
1981: Midnight's Children Wins Booker Prize
In 1981, Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children won the Booker Prize.
1981: Shortlisted for Booker Prize and Awarded the Prize
In 1981, Salman Rushdie's work, "Midnight's Children", was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Also in 1981, he was awarded the Booker Prize.
1982: Leaves Ayer Barker Advertising Agency
Until 1982, Rushdie was a copywriter for the Ayer Barker advertising agency, where he wrote the line "That'll do nicely" for American Express. He then became a full-time writer.
1983: Publication of Shame
In 1983, Salman Rushdie published Shame, a novel depicting the political turmoil in Pakistan. The characters were based on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
1983: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
In 1983, Salman Rushdie was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
1983: Shortlisted for Booker Prize
In 1983, Salman Rushdie's novel "Shame" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
1987: Publication of The Jaguar Smile
In 1987, Salman Rushdie wrote a non-fiction book about Nicaragua called The Jaguar Smile, based on his experiences and research at the scene of Sandinista political experiments.
September 1988: Publication of "The Satanic Verses"
In September 1988, "The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie was published by Viking Penguin Publishing, causing immediate controversy in the Islamic world.
1988: Shortlisted for Booker Prize
In 1988, Salman Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
January 1989: Rushdie's column in The Observer
On 22 January 1989, in response to the protests, Salman Rushdie published a column in The Observer that called Muhammad "one of the great geniuses of world history," but noted that Islamic doctrine holds Muhammad to be human, and in no way perfect.
1989: "Words For Salman Rushdie" published in The New York Times
In 1989, The New York Times published "Words For Salman Rushdie", featuring 28 distinguished writers born in 21 countries expressing solidarity.
1990: Publication of Haroun and the Sea of Stories
In 1990, Salman Rushdie published Haroun and the Sea of Stories, a story about the magic of storytelling and a defense of the power of stories over silence, written in the shadow of the fatwa.
1990: Reviews Vineland and Meets Thomas Pynchon
In 1990, Salman Rushdie reviewed Thomas Pynchon's Vineland in The New York Times and met the author for dinner.
1991: Address at Columbia University
In 1991, Salman Rushdie gave an address at Columbia University to mark the 200th anniversary of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, from which Ralston College adopted its motto.
1993: "For Rushdie" collection published
In 1993, a collection titled "For Rushdie" featured 100 writers and intellectuals from the Muslim world expressing solidarity with Salman Rushdie.
1994: Publication of East, West
In 1994, Salman Rushdie published East, West, a collection of short stories.
1995: Shortlisted for Booker Prize
In 1995, Salman Rushdie's novel "The Moor's Last Sigh" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
1995: The Moor's Last Sigh Wins Whitbread Award
In 1995, Salman Rushdie's novel The Moor's Last Sigh, a family saga spanning 100 years of India's history, won the Whitbread Award.
1999: Publication of The Ground Beneath Her Feet
In 1999, Salman Rushdie published The Ground Beneath Her Feet, a novel based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, casting them as rock stars, and including original song lyrics.
2001: Publication of Fury
In 2001, Salman Rushdie published Fury, a novel set mainly in New York, deviating from his previous sprawling narrative style.
2002: Publication of Step Across This Line
In 2002, Salman Rushdie published his non-fiction collection Step Across This Line, professing his admiration for authors like Italo Calvino and Thomas Pynchon.
2003: Languages of Truth
Between 2003 and 2020, Salman Rushdie wrote essays for his book 'Languages of Truth'.
2004: President of PEN American Center
In 2004, Salman Rushdie became the President of PEN American Center, a position he held until 2006.
August 2005: Rushdie Calls for Reform in Islam
In mid-August 2005, Rushdie called for a reform in Islam in a guest opinion piece printed in The Washington Post and The Times.
November 2005: Published essay in "Free Expression Is No Offence"
In November 2005, Salman Rushdie contributed an essay to "Free Expression Is No Offence", a collection of essays published by Penguin, where he wrote about his opposition to the British government's introduction of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act.
2005: Deepa Mehta's "Water" faced violent protests
In 2005, Deepa Mehta's film "Water" faced violent protests. Salman Rushdie interviewed Mehta about the film in 2006.
2005: Publication of Shalimar the Clown
In 2005, Salman Rushdie published Shalimar the Clown, a story about love and betrayal set in Kashmir and Los Angeles, which was hailed as a return to form.
2005: Received Hutch Crossword Book Award
In 2005, Salman Rushdie's novel, "Shalimar the Clown" received the prestigious Hutch Crossword Book Award.
March 2006: Signed manifesto Together Facing the New Totalitarianism
In March 2006, following the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, Salman Rushdie signed the manifesto Together Facing the New Totalitarianism, which warned of the dangers of religious extremism. The manifesto was published in Charlie Hebdo in March 2006.
May 2006: Guest host on "The Charlie Rose Show"
On 12 May 2006, Salman Rushdie was a guest host on "The Charlie Rose Show", where he interviewed Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta.
2006: Lamented the division of Kashmir
In 2006, in an interview about his novel Shalimar the Clown, Rushdie lamented the division of Kashmir into zones of Indian and Pakistani administration.
2006: President of PEN American Center
Salman Rushdie's tenure as President of PEN American Center ended in 2006, having started in 2004.
June 2007: Rushdie Knighted in Queen's Birthday Honours
On 16 June 2007, Rushdie was knighted for services to literature in the Queen's Birthday Honours. The knighthood drew protests from many Muslim-majority nations.
2007: Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University
In 2007, Salman Rushdie began a five-year term as Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he has also deposited his archives.
2007: Knighthood for Services to Literature
In 2007, Salman Rushdie was knighted for his services to literature.
2007: Shortlisted for International Dublin Literary Award
In 2007, Salman Rushdie's novel "Shalimar the Clown" was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award.
May 2008: Elected Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
In May 2008, Salman Rushdie was elected as a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
September 2008: Panelist on "Real Time with Bill Maher"
In September 2008, Salman Rushdie appeared as a panellist on the HBO programme "Real Time with Bill Maher".
2008: Publication of The Enchantress of Florence
In 2008, Salman Rushdie published The Enchantress of Florence, a novel focusing on the past and exploring a European's visit to Akbar's court.
March 2009: Panelist on "Real Time with Bill Maher"
In March 2009, Salman Rushdie appeared as a panellist on the HBO programme "Real Time with Bill Maher".
September 2010: Production of "Midnight's Children" began
In September 2010, production began on the cinematic adaptation of Salman Rushdie's novel "Midnight's Children", which he co-wrote with director Deepa Mehta.
November 2010: Founding Patron of Ralston College
In November 2010, Salman Rushdie became a founding patron of Ralston College, a new liberal arts college.
November 2010: Publication of Luka and the Fire of Life
In November 2010, Salman Rushdie's Luka and the Fire of Life, a sequel to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, was published to critical acclaim.
June 2011: Announced "The Next People" TV series
In June 2011, Salman Rushdie announced that he had written the first draft of a script for a new television series called "The Next People" for Showtime.
March 2012: Rushdie Addresses Conference in New Delhi
In March 2012, a proposed video link session between Rushdie and the Jaipur Literature Festival was cancelled after government pressure. However, Rushdie returned to India to address a conference in New Delhi on 16 March 2012.
September 2012: Publication of Joseph Anton: A Memoir
In September 2012, Salman Rushdie published his memoir, Joseph Anton: A Memoir.
September 2012: Release of "Joseph Anton"
On 18 September 2012, Rushdie's memoir of his years in hiding, Joseph Anton, was released. "Joseph Anton" was Rushdie's secret alias during the height of the controversy.
2012: Embraces Booktrack with "In the South"
In 2012, Salman Rushdie embraced Booktrack by publishing his short story "In the South" on the platform, making him one of the first major authors to do so.
2012: Publication of Joseph Anton: A Memoir
In 2012, Salman Rushdie published Joseph Anton: A Memoir, recounting his life following the controversy surrounding The Satanic Verses.
2012: "Midnight's Children" film released
In 2012, the film adaptation of Salman Rushdie's novel "Midnight's Children" was released.
2014: Taught a seminar on British Literature
In 2014, Salman Rushdie taught a seminar on British Literature and served as the 2015 keynote speaker.
September 2015: Joined New York University Journalism Faculty
In September 2015, Salman Rushdie joined the New York University Journalism Faculty as a Distinguished Writer in Residence.
2015: Rushdie's Views on Literature and Feminism in 2015
In 2015 Rushdie stated that there are the larger stories, the grand narratives that we live in, which are things like nation, and family, and clan, and so on. Those stories are considered to be treated reverentially. His support of feminism can also be seen in a 2015 interview with New York magazine's The Cut.
2015: Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU
In 2015, Salman Rushdie was named Distinguished Writer in Residence at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University.
2015: Publication of Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights
In 2015, Salman Rushdie's Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, a modern take on the One Thousand and One Nights, was published.
2016: Acquired American citizenship and voted for Hillary Clinton
In 2016, Salman Rushdie acquired American citizenship and voted for Hillary Clinton in that year's election.
2017: Appeared in "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
In 2017, Salman Rushdie appeared as himself in episode 3 of season 9 of "Curb Your Enthusiasm", sharing scenes with Larry David.
2017: Publication of The Golden House
In 2017, Salman Rushdie's satirical novel The Golden House, set in contemporary America, was published.
2019: Publication of Quichotte
In 2019, Salman Rushdie's Quichotte, a modern retelling of Don Quixote, was published.
2019: Shortlisted for Booker Prize
In 2019, Salman Rushdie's novel "Quichotte" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
July 2020: Signed Harper's Letter
In July 2020, Salman Rushdie was among the 153 signers of the "Harper's Letter", also known as "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate", which expressed concern over the constriction of free exchange of information and ideas.
2020: Languages of Truth
Between 2003 and 2020, Salman Rushdie wrote essays for his book 'Languages of Truth'.
2021: Publication of Languages of Truth
In 2021, Salman Rushdie's Languages of Truth, a collection of essays written between 2003 and 2020, was published.
2022: Rushdie Appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour
In 2022, Rushdie was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) for services to literature.
February 2023: Publication of Victory City
In February 2023, Salman Rushdie's fifteenth novel, Victory City, was published. It was his first released work after being attacked in 2022.
April 2024: Publication of Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder
In April 2024, Salman Rushdie's autobiographical book Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, about the 2022 attack and his recovery, was published and was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
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