Video: Questions for Salman Rushdie

The Leonard Lopate Show | Sep 28, 2011

Salman Rushdie doesn't really have any favorite words, but he explains why he likes "funny" and dislikes "fanatical." He also shares his thoughts on Midnight's Children, which was published 30 years ago.

What are your favorite books/who are your favorite authors?

Today? The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges, Eugenie Grandet by Honoré de Balzac. Ask me tomorrow and I’d have a different answer.

What’s the last great book you’ve read?

Patrick Leigh Fermor, A Time of Gifts.

What have you read this summer?

Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers; Liao Yiwu, The Corpse Walker; Edmund de Waal, The Hare with Amber Eyes.

Where do you find inspiration for your books? Was there any specific inspiration for this book?

There’s a special Inspiration Store I use, but I’m not allowed to tell you where it is.

Do you have any writing rituals or habits? Where and when do you write?

No, I just do it like an office job.

What are your favorite words? And what are your least favorite words?

Favourite word: “Funny.” Least favourite: “Fanatic.”

WNYC is funded by sponsors and member donations

WNYC Homepage - Top Stories

Knicks title run could overlap with World Cup, causing potential headaches at Penn Station

The busy train hub beneath Madison Square Garden could turn into a mess if the region hosts a World Cup and NBA Finals game on the same day.

Gothamist |

Gov. Hochul's Climate Law Rollback

Jon Campbell reports that the state may loosen the emissions goals in the landmark 2019 climate law.

The Brian Lehrer Show |

A Documentary Shadows the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team in the Leadup to the World Cup

All Of It with Alison Stewart |

New Jerseyans who take ADHD meds face a return to pre-pandemic prescription rules

Starting Saturday, people who take medications such as Adderall and Ritalin will again need to see a doctor in person for prescriptions.

WNYC News |

How they handle crises in Brownsville, often without police

At least twice a year, nonprofit workers from the neighborhood spend a week calming disputes and responding to most 311 and 911 calls on certain blocks in the neighborhood.