Salman Rushdie: Four must-read novels by the magician of words

Salman Rushdie is one of the best-known names in the literary world. The Booker Prize winner's genius lies in sculpting puns, metaphors, and magic realism in his writing which makes his books hard to put down. A magician of words, Rushdie can engage his readers with his thought-provoking writing. His stories mainly deal with issues like religion, life and death. Here are a few must-read books of Salman Rushdie.

The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999)

Salman’s new approach towards the classic case of a love triangle in this novel will definitely leave the reader in awe. The book is an epic love story of two men falling for the same woman and draws inspiration from the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. The book has some incredible moments of intertwined tales and cultures. It transcends time and takes influences from Eastern and Western cultures.

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Imaginary Homelands: Essays (1992)

Imaginary Homelands gives an insight into Rushdie’s diary, which explores a variety of topics ranging from authors and movies to culture and political issues. It is one of the few books by this author which features no myths or magic realism. This book also revealed his views on the contemporary literary and cultural scene.

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The Satanic Verses (1988)

This book is considered as one of the most loved and controversial writings of Rushdie. The story is about an explosion that transforms two survivors into the representations of good and evil. The author has presented the characters very skilfully and with extreme care. Rumour has it that the Supreme Leader of Iran announced death sentence for Rushdie for the controversial representation of the region in this book. 

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Midnight's Children (1981)

Midnight's Children is considered as an example of postmodern and realist literature. The book deals with the changes that occurred between the British Raj and independent India. This realist novel won many awards, including the Booker Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. The story of the novel revolves around two telepathic leads born between 12 am and 1 am, who discovers that all children born at this time have magical powers. The novel also deals with many political issues of modern, including the emergency declared by Indira Gandhi. This iconic masterpiece is one of Salman Rushdie's best writings.

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