On Friday, famed novelist Salman Rushdie was stabbed on stage while preparing to give a speech at Chautauqua Institution in Western New York. Rushdie has been under constant threat of murder since the 1988 release of his novel The Satanic Verses, which was inspired by the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a death fatwa against Rushdie the following year, insisting the book was an insult to Islam and Muhammad. Though Rushdie’s attacker’s motive hasn’t been explained yet, it is widely believed that it was connected to the bounty on Rushdie’s life, which has never been lifted.
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Latest reports suggest Rushdie is on the road to recovery, and if his attacker was motivated by the fatwa, well, it appears that he manage to spark renewed interest in his victim’s novel.
Over at Amazon, the audiobook edition of The Satanic Verses is currently ranking at #4 for audiobooks, the ebook edition ranks at #12 overall, the hardcover #98, and the paperback #11.
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