I have had many more close women friends than men, and I've always assumed that comes from the fact that in my family there was such a disproportionate female element. Salman Rushdie assumeclosedisproportionate Change image and share on social
A mature society understands that at the heart of democracy is argument. Salman Rushdie argumentdemocracyheart Change image and share on social
The reason why books endure is because there are enough people who like them. It's the only reason why books last. Salman Rushdie bookendurepeople Change image and share on social
One of the things I've thought about 'Midnight's Children' is that it is a novel which puts a Muslim family at the centre of the Indian experience. Salman Rushdie centrechildexperience Change image and share on social
Self-censorship is a lie to yourself; if you are going to be trying to seriously create art, to create literary art, and you decide to hold back, to censor yourself, then you are a fool to yourself and it would be better that you kept your mouth shut and did not speak. Salman Rushdie artbackcensor share on social
I was 21 in 1968, so I'm as much a child of the '60s as is possible to be. In those years the subject of religion had really almost disappeared; the idea that religion was going to be a major force in the life of our societies, in the West anyway, would have seemed absurd in 1968. Salman Rushdie 60sabsurdchild share on social
The world is full of things that upset people. But most of us deal with it and move on and don't try and burn the planet down. Salman Rushdie burndealfull Change image and share on social
It's obvious that I come down on the side of free speech for anybody's work. Salman Rushdie freeobviousside Change image and share on social
Dissensions between Muslim nations run at least as deep, if not deeper, than those nations' resentment of the West. Salman Rushdie deepdissensionmuslim Change image and share on social
If bigots behave like bigots, it's not a huge surprise. Salman Rushdie behavebigothuge Change image and share on social
