Controversial novelist coming to UB Thursday

Acclaimed writer and intellectual Salman Rushdie, who redefined the modern novel while sparking controversy in the Islamic world, is set to speak at Alumni Arena Thursday night as the finale for this year's Distinguished Speaker Series.

"We're just very happy he's here," said Bill Regan, director of the Office of Special Events. "We try to feature both an undergraduate choice speaker - this year it was Donald Trump - and a graduate student choice, and Rushdie is the GSA's top choice, so we're glad we were able to make the arrangements to get him here."

Student interest in Thursday's event has been high, according to Regan, and more than 1,000 tickets have already been distributed to the student body.

"I've only read one of his books, but I think it would be great to see such an accomplished writer in person, and just hear what he has to say about the world," said Matthew Long, a senior English major who plans on attending the event.

Both an essayist and a novelist, Rushdie is best known for his novels "Midnight's Children" and "The Satanic Verses."

Those two works cemented Rushdie's status as a great innovator of the form, according to David Schmid, assistant professor of English.

"Rushdie has systematically enlarged the possibilities of the novel genre and, in particular, has made an enormous contribution to the field of postcolonial literature," Schmid said.

A British citizen, born in Bombay just months before India claimed independence, Rushdie has repeatedly offered a unique perspective on the rapidly changing sociopolitical landscape, according to the UB Libraries Database of Contemporary Authors.

"I think (Rushdie) is really bold in expressing his views about a lot of controversial stuff, mostly in his fiction, about the modern world, values, and society," said Adit Gupta, a junior electrical engineering major.

Rushdie's boldness was most notoriously controversial following the publication of "The Satanic Verses" in 1988. Many in the Islamic world considered Rushdie's depiction of the prophet Muhammad in the book disrespectful and sacrilegious, prompting the banning of the novel in several countries along with worldwide protests.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran, called Rushdie a blasphemer and issued a fatwa, or death warrant, that put a price on the author's head. Although Khomeini died shortly after, the bounty remains. In 1997, it was doubled, and in 1999, an Iranian foundation set its own price of $2.8 million.

The Iranian government has said only the person who issued the fatwa can removed it, and that would be Khomeini.

According to the UB database, the offending scene in "The Satanic Verses" involved a scribe for a Muhammad-like prophet altering the prophet's dictation, thus calling into question the validity of the Koran and other holy books.

Although Rushdie repeatedly pointed out his book was hardly a critique of Islam, but rather of the restrictive nature of fundamentalism, the fatwa induced attacks on three people who were involved with the production of the book.

Despite threats against his life, Rushdie's unwillingness to bend his beliefs has only enhanced his status internationally, according to Schmid.

"(Rushdie's) defiant response to the fatwa has made him a symbol of resistance to censorship and intolerance wherever they occur," Schmid said. "His determination to continue writing and speaking out indicates his bravery and integrity."

With Rushdie's literary and political experiences open game for Thursday's discussion, Schmid said he anticipates a fascinating evening at Alumni.

"Rushdie is, without doubt, one of the greatest novelists of his generation," Schmid said. "He's a witty and erudite speaker, and I'm looking forward to it enormously."

According to Gupta, a true fan who is planning to attend the event, Rushdie's personality will be as much a draw as his body of work.

"Salman Rushdie is well versed, charming, really powerful, and refined, he seems more a diplomat than a writer to me," Gupta said. "I am definitely going to be there."

Rushdie will be speaking at Alumni Arena at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Tickets are available for sale at the Arena ticket office, and free student tickets for UB students are available in the Student Association office.