Rushdie spoke about attacks on libraries and children’s books in one of his first public speeches since he was stabbed onstage.

Topline

Author Salman Rushdie warned of “remarkably alarming” censorship threats to publishing, libraries and children books, and spoke out against proposed changes to the works of Roald Dahl and Ian Fleming, in a recorded speech that marks one of his first public appearances since he was stabbed onstage at a literary festival in August 2022.

Salman Rushdie was stabbed in August, leaving him blind in one eye.

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Key Facts

In a message to the British Book Awards, where he was awarded the Freedom to Publish award on Monday, Rushdie said the Western world is facing an unprecedented threat to freedom of speech that has previously only been seen in countries like Russia and China.

He mentioned an “extraordinary attack” on children’s literature and “the idea of libraries themselves” in the U.S., calling for people to fight against these movements.

He also called for resistance against publishers altering certain older books, like those of Roald Dahl and James Bond author Ian Fleming, saying the “idea that James Bond could be made politically correct is almost comical.”

Rushdie has faced threats of censorship and violence against him throughout his career as an author—he spent years hiding after publishing The Satanic Verses, which was partially inspired by the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad, received backlash from Muslim leaders including Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who called for his death.

In August, Hadi Mata, a 24-year-old from New Jersey, stabbed Rushdie while he was onstage in New York, blinding the author in one eye and causing nerve damage in one of his hands.

Key Background

In February, The Telegraph reported Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., the company that owns the literary rights for the James Bond series, was reissuing the series with certain words and phrases altered or removed. Racial slurs in the books, including the N-word, and references to “the sweet tang of rape” and homosexuality being a “stubborn disability” were removed, and a disclaimer was included in the beginning of the books saying they were “written at a time when terms and attitudes which might be considered offensive by modern readers were commonplace.” Similarly, Puffin Books made changes to books by Roald Dahl, who authored classics like The BFG, Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, removing certain words such as “fat” and “ugly,” as well as descriptions using the colors black and white. The alterations come amid an ongoing fight over book banning in the U.S., as children’s books available in schools are being challenged by parents and lawmakers, typically over themes about sexuality and gender identity. The movement has reached legislation, with Louisiana’s senate passing a proposal Monday that limits children’s access to library cards to help parents oversee what their kids are reading. The legislation was a response to restrict certain books in libraries, most of which touch on LGBTQ themes.

Crucial Quote

“Books have to come to us from their time and be of their time. And if that’s difficult to take, don’t read it, read another book. Don’t try and remake yesterday’s work in the light of today’s attitudes,” Rushdie said in his speech Monday.

Big Number

26. That’s the number of states that have banned or opened investigations into more than 1,100 books since July 2021, according to an April report from PEN America, a literary advocacy organization. Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida, which has passed laws restricting education on gender and sexuality, lead the country in bans, according to the report. Together, the three states make up 87% of the country’s banning incidents.

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