This was a compelling read from Rushdie about his life just before and after the attack in August 2022. Rushdie writes openly and honestly about his journey from the attack to recovery and how it impacted on his mental health and family life.. In this book, Rushdie writes an imagined conversation with the attacker, imagining what 'A' would say and how he would respond, trying to understand why he was targeted.

It was a horrific event and graphic in detail about his injuries but at the end of it all, Salman has grasped his 'second shot at life' with both his hands and is determined that he will continue to live life as he should.

It was rather admirable, the injuries sustained were shocking and he was very lucky to make it out alive. I admired his positive outlook and determination to not let it overshadow the rest of his days but to spend them appreciatively with his wife, family and friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random for this ARC.

A wonderful and moving piece of writing. I much preferred the sections of his description of the attack, aftermath and his 'interview' with his attacker.

(Some of the other writing name-dropped a few too many celebrity friends)

From internationally renowned writer and Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him.

Salman Rushdie regains control of the narrative, telling his story from the physical aspects of his recovery to his thoughts and reflections on the attack and the attacker.

I went into this book expecting it to be a little dreary but thinking I should read it for literary reasons. I could not put it down! I highlighted so many passages in this book, as the writing style is beautiful and witty. Here is a quote that sums up the book for me, as Salman Rushdie introduces his attacker: "I do not want to use his name in this account. My Assailant, my would-be Assassin, the Asinine man who made assumptions about me, and with whom I had a near-lethal Assignation... I have found myself thinking of him, perhaps forgivably, as an Ass. However, for the purposes of this text, I will refer to him more decorously as 'the A'. What I call him in the privacy of my home is my business."

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, this was a raw, honest and thought provoking book. Salman told his story with bravery, detailing the attack that nearly cost him his life, but also the impact of a life full of hatred and judgement. I have never read anything by him before, but I want to. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Like many people, I heard of Salman Rushdie because of his book, The Satanic Verses. However, I haven’t read any of his books and probably would never have heard of him, had it not been for the fatwah.

I was shocked to hear that a would be murderer tried to kill him just a few years ago and was glad to hear that he survived the knife attack. This book is the story of that attack and how he recovered from his injuries and came to terms with the parts that won’t heal.

There were many literary references throughout the book, some of which passed me by (& made me think that his other books are probably not for me after all) & a few random mentions of friends & others (presumably well known/ in the public eye, but again, people I’d never heard of).

Apart from those minor criticisms, it was a well written account of the author’s search for meaning and answers in the midst of trauma.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mixed feelings about this book. Interesting in places but, told in the first person singular, it struck me that he was trying too hard. His attempts at humour struck me as forced. His views on religion, towards the end of the book, however were, I thought well expressed.

Why did he he take the engagement in Chautauqua?

As it happened, we had some big domestic bills to pay our homes. Whole air-conditioning system was old on the edge of breaking down and needed to be renewed so the money would be very handy.

Really?

There were some statements made by other world leaders even Boris Johnson then the British Prime Minister who once had written an article saying I didn’t deserve the knighthood I’d received in June 2007 for services to literature because I wasn’t a good enough writer now found some grudging platitudes

“ I have never felt the need for religious faith to help me comprehend and deal with the world. However, I understand that for many people religion provides a moral anchor and seems essential. And in my view the private faith of anyone is nobody’s business except that of the individual concerned. I have no issue with religion when it occupies this private space and doesn’t seek to impose its values on others. But when religion becomes politic even weaponised then it’s everybody’s business because of its capacity for harm.”

Knife is a deeply personal and compelling read about surviving a violent attack. Salman Rushdie bravely shares his experiences, from the attack, to his physical and emotional recovery, and the impact it had on his life and relationships.
A really powerful and thought-provoking read with a simple but striking cover. Well worth a read!

This is a beautiful and inspiring read that details the emotional and physical recovery of Salman Rushdie after a brutal knife attack on August 12th 2022 at the Chautauqua Institution, New York. The violent assault lasted for 27 seconds and Rushdie poignantly recalls the incident, his sense of horror and fear, as well as the agony of recovering from 15 stab wounds.

Rushdie writes with bravery and honesty about his feelings after this life-changing and sickening attack; how it has given him a new insight into our own mortality. He also reflects on the impact such devastation can have on friends and family, as well as on how to come to terms with the perpetrator of this attempt on his life sitting in prison and refusing to plead guilty to a crime he quite clearly *did* commit in front of over a thousand horrified witnesses.

This incident also helps Rushdie to look back over his life and literary career. These provide deeply fascinating insights into a remarkable man. I will be reading more of his works - starting with ‘Midnight’s Children’.

'Knife' is a powerful and gripping work of memoir in which Salman Rushdie recounts his attempted murder which took place on stage as he was about to deliver a lecture in 2022, and offers a robust defence of art and freedom expression.

In spite of the huge publicity surrounding the event at the heart of this book, Rushdie crafts a suspenseful narrative as he first of all sets the scene for his attack, relives his twenty-seven-second interaction with his assailant (whom he doesn't deign to name, referring to him only as 'the A.') and describes its lengthy aftermath. This book is perhaps not for the squeamish as Rushdie includes lots of gory anatomical details of the injuries he suffered from the repeated stab wounds - not only the devastating loss of sight in one eye, but also to his mouth, his hand, his heart, his small intestine and more - but this detail is important in forcing to confront the reality of his attack.

Alongside these shocking descriptions, there is plenty of gallows humour and also real tenderness as he writes about the power of love to triumph over hate - the love his readers, his friends and fellow writers, his family and most of all his wife, the writer Rachel Eliza Griffiths. Later chapters include more philosophical musings on Rushdie's writing and career, and his sense of what is at stake both in this attack and the previous fatwa against him after the publication of The Satanic Verses. There is even a chapter in which Rushdie imagines a series of conversations with his would-be assassin, although no meeting of minds seems possible in this exchange.

Featuring some virtuosic writing, this is book is vital - and remarkably hopeful - reading for all who are interested in literature and the arts. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I don't quite know where to start with this. I went into reading this with the attitude of 'I might not like the author but I agree that he should not have been attacked and I'm interested in what he has to say'. And I really did try.

'The world is monstrous, so happiness is a lie.'

'She was made of beauty and terror, equal parts of each.'

'We would not be who we are today without the calamaties of our yesterdays.'

Salman Rushdie is a good writer. Nothing can take away from that. The way he writes is lyrical and poetic - saying so much through so little. From that perspective, this book was very good. If you were taking just the writing style and some of the quotes, you would have a masterpiece. The way he speaks about his wife is beautiful. The way he views life is definitely something that could be put into categories of writing with Dickens and Shakespeare. If I were to be writing this review based entirely on his skill in writing, this would be a five-star read.

Unfortunately, I can not separate the writing from the writer. Writing is, as I'm sure you will find in many different corners of the internet, inherently political. Usually, that doesn't phase me or the reviews I write. Usually, I am able to read something and understand that my own politics do not necessarily have to come into play for me to enjoy a book. I couldn't do that with this. The way Salman wrote about the man who attacked him was done with such grace, such forgiveness. I admire him for that - I'm sure very few people would be able to write about a man who tried to kill them with as much peace as Salman did here. However, I found it difficult when he was talking about 'why' he was attacked. I am a believer in free speech. I am a believer in being safe. I am against fatwas and death penalties. I am for holding people responsible. Salman himself said that there was absolutely no thought about whether the Satanic Verses would insult people or not. He was open about that but did not apologise for the pain he caused people, and I could not, in good faith, get past that. He wanted the governments to be held responsible for their contributions, for the paparazzi to be held responsible for ruining his wifes privacy, for the man who attacked him to be held responsible. And never once did he hold himself responsible for the part he played in insulting people and being disrespectful to their religions and belief systems and, unfortunately, that clouded the entire book for me.

3 stars because his writing is truly incredible despite my not agreeing with what he is standing for.

Salman's tale grips from the outset, thrusting readers into a tumult of survival and introspection. Beginning with a life-threatening incident, the narrative unfurls through 13 months of tumult, exposing raw emotions and profound impact on both protagonist and those around him. This book isn't just a recounting; it's a visceral journey through adversity, resilience, and self-discovery. With unflinching honesty, Salman's story captivates, leaving an indelible mark on the soul. Whether a newcomer or a curious soul, this book is a must-read—a stirring reminder of life's fragility and the strength found within. Prepare to be moved, shaken, and ultimately transformed.

Knife is Salman Rushdie's 'recovery' book, after the very horrific knife attack he suffered a couple of years ago. Of course, I remember reading about the attack on the news and was distinctly horrified about what had happened. I was concerned that this book might be quite hard to get through and in places, it quite understandably is. This is because you really feel/empathise for Rushdie (of course) and of course, this book is about trauma, recovery and love - largely love, It is heartening to read just how much love he has for his family and vice versa. It's love that helped him to get through that horrific attack. I am glad to have been able to read it, to get a personal insight into what actually happened. Rushdie writes beautifully, by the way, even about such a traumatic event.

I adore Salman Rushdie’s writing but I was concerned how a book about a bloody attack would read. I needn’t have worried it’s brilliant!
Written in the first person which emphasises the personal nature of it.
I felt I was on the journey with him and couldn’t put the book down. A great description of Manhattan which really resonated with me.
Very poignant about his writer friends especially with the announcement of Paul Auster’s death today.
Such a terrible and shocking thing to happen to him. What m so glad that he pulled through and wrote this amazing book

When Salman Rushdie's fatwa finally caught up with him at the bucolic Chautauqua Institute, it was touch and go whether he would survive the assault - a brutal stabbing at the hands of a young radicalised American. He had survived over 30 years with the fatwa hanging over his head, after the Ayatollah Khomeini pronouncement in 1989, a year after the publication of 'The Satanic Verses'.
'Knife' is his remarkable first person account of the attack and its aftermath, as he miraculously dodged death, despite the horrific injuries he sustained. His memory is patchy of the immediate aftermath, he doesn't remember the agonising screams he was apparently issuing while they awaited medical assistance, and he obviously remembers nothing of the hours of surgery while doctors fought to save him.
What could have been an angry diatribe, is in fact a testament to love. The love for the people who saved him, the love of his wife and family, the outpouring of love from friends and strangers alike, and ultimately Rushdie's love of life.
This is a truly outstanding piece of writing - from his stream of consciousness outpourings to his imaginary interview with his assailant, every page is a delight. A remarkable book.

This is an immensely personal, intimate, moving, and powerful account of 13 months in Salman Rushdie’s life. On 12 August 2022, when he is about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, a man rushes onto the stage an attacks him with a knife. This almost claimed Rushdie’s life, and cost him the sight in one eye. The book charts 13 months of the physical and emotional impact of this attack on Rushdie and those in his closest circles of love and friendship. His account of the incident, and the impact it had on his physical health, his wife and family, is eloquent and moving.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the attack itself, and the aftermath of hospitalisation and rehab. The description of the attack is intense and immediate, and feels immensely personal. The second part is reflective on Rushdie reclaiming some sense of normality, and trying to find some perspective for the incident and its ongoing impact on his life.

I knew very little about Salman Rushdie before reading this - beyond the fact of the fatwa issued in 1989 for his death, due to the content of his book *The Satanic Verses*. And it was the long tail of that fatwa that, ultimately, and obtusely, resulted in the knife attack. Rushdie draws on his knowledge of history, politics, art, literature, and philosophy to try to bring meaning and context to what has happened to him.

It’s difficult to find fault with such a personal, honest, introspective - and, ultimately, engaging and well told - account.

Thank you #NetGalley and Random House UK / Vintage for the free review copy of #Knife in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In the summer of 2022, Salman Rushdie was brutally stabbed fifteen times whilst onstage at the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York. His assailant’s motivation: the Fatwa proclaimed over thirty years ago in response to the author’s Satanic Verses. In Knife we hear Rushdie’s recollections of the attack, the details of his long recovery and his musings of his life both before and afterwards.

The openness and honesty with which Rushdie writes are remarkable. His narrative of the incident itself and subsequent recovery is visceral, his musings around motive and how to move forward every bit as erudite as you would expect from the author. His attacker is never referred to by name within these pages, only as “The A” (attacker, assailant, asshole – you choose). Most remarkable is the level of humour that Rushdie manages to inject into his narrative.

A powerful read. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Jonathan Cape, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A meditation of an attempted murder. Salman Rushdie's short memoir after being stabbed multiple times, reads more like a thank you letter to his friends and family (which is understandable), than an exploration of the attempt itself. It's interesting but I was expecting it to be more about the attack itself. Good but quite meandering.

When the Fatwa was proclaimed over  Salman Rushdie for his "Satanic Verses", I was working at Penguin, witnessing this horrible, dangerous, unprecendented situation.  I was absolutely shocked  when an assassin  knifed him down years later on  August 11, 2022 during a speech engagement.

 "Knife" is Rushdie's account of this attack, the aftermath, his miraculous survival of 15 stab wounds, losing one eye permanently, his struggle through rehab and doubt whether he would ever regain his normal life.  It is a deeply personal, honest account of this traumatic event, brilliantly written, a testament to resilience , his mental and physical recovery aided by the love of his wife Eliza,  his children,  family and friends. I am so glad he made it and lived to write this fabulous book, one of the best I have read recently.

Salman Rushdie writes beautifully and this book highlights his thought process after his brutal attack.
Salman highlights the love he has for his wife and how she helped him recover from his trauma. It made an impact reading about how his body was stabbed and he drew strength to recover. He’s a survivor and still living his life with gratitude in the aftermath. His thoughts were fascinating when thinking of the conversation with the A (Salmon's name for him) who stabbed him so ferociously. This was a book for reflection and how he drew strength to carry on. I laughed in some parts too. Considering this was the first book I’ve read of his, it highlighted what an incredible author he is. I must read more of his books and I highly recommend this.
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Knife is Salman Rushdie's account of the attack he suffered, his response to that event and the trauma he experienced afterwards and his recovery from it.