If you’d like to sit in the presence of an award-winning author and knight who’s also the subject of an Islamic fatwa calling for his assassination, don’t miss your chance: Salman Rushdie will debut his new novel “Quichotte” with an intimate reading at the Center for Fiction on September 3. The event is the first in the center’s new series, Story/Teller, which “celebrates the joy of story coming alive when it is spoken aloud.” The evening will include a staged reading of excerpts from the novel by Rushdie and professional actors.
“Quichotte” is the story of a tragicomic hero and his creator, Sam DuChamp, a subpar spy novel author whose pressing problems mirror those of his protagonist. When Quichotte sets off on a quest across America to prove himself worthy of a TV actress’ hand, DuChamp must confront his own midlife crisis and reconcile his fantasies with reality.
Rushdie is the author of thirteen previous novels, including “The Satanic Verses,” which provoked death threats against the author after its debuted in 1988, culminating in a formal fatwa issued by Iran’s then-leader, the Ayatollah Khomeni, calling for the author’s death. Rushdie is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU, the former president of PEN America and was knighted in 2007 for his services to literature.
Admission is $32.50 and includes a copy of “Quichotte.” Visit centerforfiction.org for tickets.