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If anyone knows how powerful words can be it's Salman Rushdie.
His life was changed by one book - The Satanic Verses. When Rushdie wrote it in 1988, all hell broke loose. And even though he said it was fiction, Muslims around the world accused Rushdie of insulting Islam and disrespecting the prophet Muhammad. Then, Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini put a fatwa on Rushdie's head - offering millions to anyone who killed him.
That forced Rushdie into hiding for nearly 10 years. But he didn't stay silent. Instead, he wrote Haroun and the Sea of Stories - a novel about the importance of telling stories. You can make the connection there.
Then in 1998, Iran softened its stance on the fatwa and Rushdie gradually came back to public life. He collaborated with U2, played himself in Bridget Jones's Diary and became a symbol of free expression.
Now he's working on a memoir about his time in hiding. He's also adapted his award-winning novel Midnight's Children for the screen - with Canada's Deepa Mehta directing.
Plus, he has a new novel called Luka and the Fire of Life. It's a fable about a young boy who tries to save the life of his father. And the inspiration for it comes from an unlikely place.
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