Salman Rushdie at 1988 Whitbread Book of the Year event

The transcript discusses the author's reaction to the controversy surrounding their book, highlighting the support received from various communities, including Muslims who oppose the book burning. The author emphasizes the danger of misrepresenting the entire Muslim community based on the actions of a few. The conversation also touches on concerns about the book's impact on a literary prize, stressing the importance of judging based on literary merit rather than external pressures.

What is the speaker's initial reaction to the controversy surrounding their book?

• Anger and frustration

• Gratitude for support

• Indifference

• Confusion

How does the speaker view the actions of the book burners?

• As representative of the entire Muslim community

• As justified and understandable

• As isolated actions not representative of all Muslims

• As a minor issue

What concern does the speaker express about the response to the book burning?

• That it will cause stereotyping of the Muslim community

• That it will result in increased book sales

• That it will lead to more book burnings

• That it will be ignored by the media

What does the speaker hope for regarding the literary prize?

• That it will be awarded based on literary merit

• That it will be decided by a public vote

• That it will be given to the most controversial book

• That it will be influenced by public opinion

What does the speaker believe about the judges of the literary prize?

• They are biased and unfair

• They are proper and will focus on literary value

• They are easily influenced by controversy

• They are indifferent to the book's content