Salman Rushdie

On Sunday night I went to the Southbank Centre with some friends to listen to an interview with Salman Rushdie. He is probably best known for his The Satanic Verses which he wrote 20 year ago and attracted him a lot of enemies, mainly muslims. Some say he did it to attract public and media attention. I believe that fame may be a welcome side effect of an act of freedom of speach - but why would anyone voluntarily put themselves in such a lifechanging and lifethreatening situation.
I haven't read his verses, actually I haven't read any of his books, but after listening to him for over an hour I can call myself his fan! He has a great sense of humor, is a fabulous live reader and is very knowledgable. His ideas on religion, i.e. a collection of accepted norms designed to set a standard of good conduct for a group of people(s), is very close to mine. His writing in the form of stream of though is very interesting and intriguing, analysing a person's thoughts and feelings from all angles. And the idea of an Indian pricess who is "lost on the way" to Europe and finds herself becoming the enchantress of Florence in the 15th century is a magnificent play with fantasy based on widespread historical research.