Sir Salman Rushdie, author: Writing fiction in a time of lies
The Interview10 Nov 2025

Sir Salman Rushdie, author: Writing fiction in a time of lies

James Coomarasamy speaks to acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie as he publishes his first work of fiction since surviving a near-fatal attack in 2022, by a man armed with a knife, who is now serving 25 years in prison.

The Eleventh Hour, his new collection of novellas and short stories explores mortality, farewells and even the afterlife. They feature a rich cast of characters - a musical prodigy in post-Partition Mumbai, a ghost with a secret at a Cambridge college and a young writer caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare in modern-day America.

Sir Salman speaks candidly about the threats to free expression, the rise in book bans across the US, and the political climate shaped by figures like Donald Trump. He reflects on the pressures facing writers and readers in a time of disinformation and growing censorship.

We discuss fiction’s power to illuminate truth and why, after everything, he remains committed to the freedom to imagine.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: James Coomarasamy Producer: Nigel Doran and Farhana Haider Editor: Justine Lang

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

(Image: Sir Salman Rushdie. Credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

Episoder(1890)

Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist: We're at a tipping point for kids and technology

Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist: We're at a tipping point for kids and technology

"There is a public health disaster. There is an education disaster. It all can be traced to the same cause, which is the change technology has made in our kids' childhood."Amol Rajan speaks to the Ame...

16 Feb 22min

Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury: Working in partnership with others

Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury: Working in partnership with others

Aleem Maqbool speaks to Dame Sarah Mullally, shortly before being confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury. She's the first woman ever to lead the Church of England. It is a tough time for the Church a...

13 Feb 23min

Azar Nafisi, author: Iranians are fighting for their freedom

Azar Nafisi, author: Iranians are fighting for their freedom

'What the regime does to women is even if they don't kill us, when you stop a woman from being herself, stop her from speaking the way she wants to or stop her from connecting, it’s a kind of murder. ...

11 Feb 23min

Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, South African health minister: The fight against HIV/AIDS continues.

Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, South African health minister: The fight against HIV/AIDS continues.

“Even though we say we want to be self-sufficient, we don't think global solidarity must be dropped. Because if it gets dropped, the world will be in trouble.”Mayeni Jones the BBC’s Africa corresponde...

9 Feb 23min

Henrique Capriles, Venezuelan opposition leader: What comes next for Venezuela?

Henrique Capriles, Venezuelan opposition leader: What comes next for Venezuela?

“Most Venezuelans are thinking about the future: Will things improve? Will deep changes come? Will we reunite as a people with our history, dreams, and hopes?”BBC correspondent Norberto Paredes speaks...

6 Feb 23min

Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner: Keep kids away from social media until they are ready

Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner: Keep kids away from social media until they are ready

Katy Watson speaks to Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner about the country’s social media ban for under 16s: “To keep kids away until they're ready, I think that is the monumental cir...

4 Feb 23min

Hind Kabawat, Syrian Minister: It is hard to be the only woman, I feel lonely

Hind Kabawat, Syrian Minister: It is hard to be the only woman, I feel lonely

'It's hard to be the only woman, I feel lonely sometimes because I’d like to have another woman colleague to talk to.’The BBC’s Chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet speaks to Hind Kabawat, S...

2 Feb 23min

Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv: We're fighting to survive

Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv: We're fighting to survive

‘We're fighting to survive in our home town, in our country, and at the same time we're fighting for our future, for our independence’Nick Robinson speaks to Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, about Ukr...

30 Jan 23min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

aftenpodden
giver-og-gjengen-vg
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
forklart
i-retten
aftenpodden-usa
stopp-verden
popradet
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
fotballpodden-2
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-ness
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
e24-podden
aftenbla-bla
grasoner-den-nye-kalde-krigen
frokostshowet-pa-p5
bt-dokumentar-2