2nd Chance for: The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
About the event
Upon request, we will go back to our April Book Selection and have a second chance to discuss it! Let's delve into Rushdie’s “largest aesthetic achievement,” according to Harold Bloom and what scholars describe as fundamentally a study of alienation and hybrid identity: The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.
About the Book *The Satanic Verses* is a complex, magical-realist novel that intertwines multiple storylines involving two Indian expatriates — Gibreel Farishta, a famous Bollywood actor, and Saladin Chamcha, an immigrant voice actor in Britain — who survive the mid-air bombing of a hijacked plane and fall into a surreal fantasy world. Their experiences blur dream and reality, exploring altered identities, spiritual visions, and personal transformations. One of the key narratives involves a mythical city and a prophet figure named Mahound, whose revealed “verses” and tribal conflicts echo and reimagine early Islamic history in dream sequences that question faith, revelation, and authority.
About the Author Salman Rushdie is a British-Indian novelist and essayist, born in 1947 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. He was educated in England and he rose to international prominence with *Midnight’s Children* (1981), a landmark novel combining history and magical realism to depict India’s post-independence experience; it won the Booker Prize and is considered one of the most influential novels of the 20th century. Rushdie is known for his imaginative prose, layered narratives, and exploration of themes such as identity, migration, cultural hybridity, and freedom of expression. His 1988 novel *The Satanic Verses* brought worldwide attention and controversy, significantly affecting his life and career. Despite these challenges, he has continued to produce acclaimed fiction and nonfiction, including *The Moor’s Last Sigh*, *Shalimar the Clown*, and the memoir *Knife* (2023), and is widely regarded as a major figure in contemporary world literature.
About the event: Commitment fee To help ensure accurate attendance and make event planning sustainable, a commitment fee of €2 is required to confirm your participation. Unfortunately, at a recent event, several participants registered but did not attend or provide any notice. As organizing these meetings requires time, preparation, and resources, this small fee helps encourage reliable RSVPs and attendance. The fee is non-refundable if you choose not to attend or do not show up. However, if the event is cancelled by the organizer or rescheduled to a date that prevents you from attending, your fee will be refunded promptly after the change is announced. For special circumstances, like waking up sick and having to cancel last minute, you can write me a private message and we'll transfer the fee to a next event you indicate. You can send the fee here: [https://revolut.me/angelicacorsi](https://revolut.me/angelicacorsi) Please include your MeetUp name in the payment note so I can identify your registration. If you can no longer attend, or if you prefer not to pay the commitment fee, please update your RSVP as soon as possible so your spot can be made available to others. Thank you for your understanding and support.
About the Location We will meet in Merienda Haus, a wonderful cosy coffee shop offering Argentinean and Uruguayan specialities. I invite you to order something and enjoy their drinks and food menu:=)
