I am still reading the autobiography of Salman Rushdie. It shows the complex situation about the fatwa, the involvement of other artists and politicians, the impact on Salman Rushdie and his family. it shows people behave well, or badly.

Mr Rushdie sounds honest, sensible and level-headed. The arrogance described by journalists before doesn’t seem to be there.

The book is impressive, and because it is written in third person, it reads like a novel.

My book club joined my “Rushdie September 22”month, and we are all reading his books. All members of my book club apart from me are from India. It is interesting to see the reactions. My book club friends know India, they all only moved to the UK in their thirties. Of course, their view is different. It is the same when I read Czech novels, my knowledge and attitude to the problems makes my understanding different. Is it better or worse? I am not sure. but I am really looking forward to hear my friends’ comments.

Salman Rushdie named his second son after Milan Kundera. I am thinking about the comparison. Both educated, intellectual, both good and prolific writers. Some readers find their books hard to read, I don’t. Their books are different, but the problems are similar. Identity of an emigrant, writing about his home country which is no longer their home.

I am thinking about my writing. A friend, another writer, told me my best writing is autobiographical. Maybe I should go back to that. Share my culture, and my adaptation to the culture of my adopted country. Refugees are not going to go away. I feel people should try to understand, get to meet and communicate with the others”.

It is my strong conviction that we are more alike than we think. We can add so many things, adopt parts of other cultures. Reading literary fiction written by someone from a different nation, about a country we don’t know will bring us together.

We need that, don’t we?

If you would like to join my Rushdie tribute month, please use email, FB, my blog for comments.