Salman Rushdie, the renowned author, has been nominated for the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction, potentially setting the stage for a historic literary achievement. The 77-year-old writer's memoir "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder" is among 12 works longlisted for the award.
Should Rushdie secure this accolade, he would become the first author to achieve the remarkable feat of winning both the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Booker Prize. Rushdie previously claimed the Booker Prize in 1981 for his novel "Midnight's Children", a work that has since become a modern classic.
"Knife" offers a poignant account of the assassination attempt Rushdie faced in August 2022, when he was stabbed multiple times while preparing to deliver a lecture in New York state. The memoir not only recounts this harrowing experience but also serves as a passionate defense of free speech, a cause Rushdie has championed throughout his career.
The longlist for the Baillie Gifford Prize showcases a diverse range of topics, including Asian history, the lingering effects of colonialism, climate change, and the threat of nuclear conflict. Among the nominees are Richard Flanagan, a previous Booker Prize winner, and Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize recipient.
"Collectively this wonderful reflection of creativity, of critical thinking and great writing left us in no doubt the non-fiction world is overflowing with energy and talent."
The Baillie Gifford Prize, established in 1999, has become one of the most esteemed awards for non-fiction writing in English. The shortlist will be revealed on October 10, 2024, at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, with the winner announced on November 19, 2024. The winning author will receive £50,000, while shortlisted authors will each be awarded £5,000.
Rushdie's nomination comes more than two years after the attack that left him blinded in one eye. This incident followed decades of threats stemming from the publication of his controversial novel "The Satanic Verses" in 1988, which led to a fatwa being issued against him by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989.
Throughout his career, Rushdie has been a prolific writer, publishing 12 novels and several non-fiction works. He has received numerous accolades, including the Whitbread Prize for Best Novel, and was knighted for his services to literature in 2007. His advocacy for freedom of expression has made him a prominent figure in literary and intellectual circles worldwide.
As the literary world awaits the outcome of the Baillie Gifford Prize, Rushdie's potential double win would not only be a personal triumph but also a testament to his enduring impact on both fiction and non-fiction literature.