For Salman, in Hopefulness and Gratitude

August 15, 2022 

The Center for Fiction sends our heartfelt wishes and prayers to Salman Rushdie and his family as he begins his recovery from the horrific act of violence perpetrated against this fabled storyteller and opponent of censorship.

We owe Salman a tremendous debt of gratitude for embodying freedom of expression at such great cost, helping us to understand that in a free society our belief in free speech cannot be applied selectively, that we will not change ideas by forbidding them but by using language to challenge them nonviolently.

A great friend of The Center who has inspired our audiences and championed young and emerging writers, Salman defends fiction’s role in uncovering false narratives to reveal truths that battle against white supremacy, social injustices, and religious intolerance. In these difficult times his courage is a source of hope for us all.