Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020
- Downloads：9382
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-06-03 09:50:57
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Salman Rushdie
- ISBN：1787331946
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Newly collected， revised， and expanded nonfiction--including many texts never previously in print--from the first two decades of the twenty-first century by the Booker Prize-winning， internationally bestselling author。
Salman Rushdie is celebrated as a storyteller of the highest order， illuminating deep truths about our society and culture through his gorgeous， often searing， prose。 Now， in his latest collection of nonfiction， he brings together insightful and inspiring essays， criticism， and speeches that focus on his relationship with the written word and solidify his place as one of the most original thinkers of our time。
Gathering pieces written between 2003 and 2020， Languages of Truth chronicles Rushdie's intellectual engagement with a period of momentous cultural shifts。 Immersing the reader in a wide variety of subjects， he delves into the nature of storytelling as a deeply human need， and what emerges is， in myriad ways， a love letter to literature itself。 Rushdie explores what the work of authors from Shakespeare and Cervantes to Samuel Beckett， Eudora Welty， and Toni Morrison mean to him， often by telling vivid， sometimes humorous stories of his own personal encounters with them， whether on the page or in person。 He delves deeper than ever before into the nature of "truth，" revels in the vibrant malleability of language and the creative lines that can join art and life， and he looks anew at migration， multiculturalism， and censorship。 The ideas， true stories， and arguments presented here are enlivened on every page by Rushdie's signature wit and dazzling voice， making this volume a genuine pleasure to read。
Languages of Truth offers the author's most piercingly analytical views yet on the evolution of literature and culture even as he takes us deep into his own exuberant and fearless imagination。
Salman Rushdie is celebrated as a storyteller of the highest order， illuminating deep truths about our society and culture through his gorgeous， often searing， prose。 Now， in his latest collection of nonfiction， he brings together insightful and inspiring essays， criticism， and speeches that focus on his relationship with the written word and solidify his place as one of the most original thinkers of our time。
Gathering pieces written between 2003 and 2020， Languages of Truth chronicles Rushdie's intellectual engagement with a period of momentous cultural shifts。 Immersing the reader in a wide variety of subjects， he delves into the nature of storytelling as a deeply human need， and what emerges is， in myriad ways， a love letter to literature itself。 Rushdie explores what the work of authors from Shakespeare and Cervantes to Samuel Beckett， Eudora Welty， and Toni Morrison mean to him， often by telling vivid， sometimes humorous stories of his own personal encounters with them， whether on the page or in person。 He delves deeper than ever before into the nature of "truth，" revels in the vibrant malleability of language and the creative lines that can join art and life， and he looks anew at migration， multiculturalism， and censorship。 The ideas， true stories， and arguments presented here are enlivened on every page by Rushdie's signature wit and dazzling voice， making this volume a genuine pleasure to read。
Languages of Truth offers the author's most piercingly analytical views yet on the evolution of literature and culture even as he takes us deep into his own exuberant and fearless imagination。
Reviews
Swarup Chakraborty
，
Best non-fiction from the master Storyteller。 It is a collection of essays touching variety of subjects and each one is presented in an uncanny narrative pattern， which evokes an aura of magic around it like his fictional writings， yet they are clear and straight from the heart。 Loved it。
Bhavsi
，
Salman Rushdie’s essay collection， Languages of Truth spans over almost two decades。 In this collection， Rushdie covers storytelling， writing， art and his views on the world with a few sprinkles of name-dropping。 Rushdie also illustrates a vulnerable look into his personal life。 His literary voice is singular and his perspective is unique。 Rushdie’s wit and wisdom is enlightening and his reflections are full of shocking insight。 I was enthralled from the very first essay to the last one。 However Salman Rushdie’s essay collection， Languages of Truth spans over almost two decades。 In this collection， Rushdie covers storytelling， writing， art and his views on the world with a few sprinkles of name-dropping。 Rushdie also illustrates a vulnerable look into his personal life。 His literary voice is singular and his perspective is unique。 Rushdie’s wit and wisdom is enlightening and his reflections are full of shocking insight。 I was enthralled from the very first essay to the last one。 However， the essays that lost my full attention were ones where I needed to know some more background of the topic being discussed。 I feel this to be true for almost every essay collection but reading Rushdie’s musings has been an enriching experience。 This is the first time I’ve read Salman Rushdie’s work and I cannot wait to dive into his fictional stories soon。 Thank you Salman Rushdie， Penguin Random House and NetGalley for this advance review copy。 。。。more
Melissa
，
I'm not usually one for collections of essays or short stories， but I'll make an exception for this。 Not only were the essays fantastic， but they made me want to stop and go read （or reread） whatever he was talking about。 I'm not usually one for collections of essays or short stories， but I'll make an exception for this。 Not only were the essays fantastic， but they made me want to stop and go read （or reread） whatever he was talking about。 。。。more
Dan
，
My thanks to both NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this book。Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020， the new collection of essays by the writer Salman Rushdie is not only well written， as goes without saying， and well argued， but is filled with the trenchant criticism， jokes and pop culture references and personal reflections long time readers have come to expect。 Culled from introductions from literary collections， college lectures and other media， the essays cover classical literature， w My thanks to both NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this book。Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020， the new collection of essays by the writer Salman Rushdie is not only well written， as goes without saying， and well argued， but is filled with the trenchant criticism， jokes and pop culture references and personal reflections long time readers have come to expect。 Culled from introductions from literary collections， college lectures and other media， the essays cover classical literature， writers of repute and a few of ill repute， and his interplay with celebrity。 From Philip Roth， Carrie Fisher and Heraclitus， Mr。 Rushdie writes with both knowledge of the subject and asides for the reader to enjoy。 His most personal essay is the last， detailing his bout with COVID， and how it affected him and the way he sees life。 Another outstanding collection， which after he last chapter excites the reader to know that there will be more。 。。。more
Kathleen Gray
，
What a treat。 This collection of 38 essays， divided into four sections， comprises previously published essays， unpublished essays and speeches。 Rushdie has always been a vibrant writer and incisive commentator and this collection highlights his interest in truth， language， and art。 It's impossible to categorize。 I dipped in and out to savor the philosophical perspective he brings to everything as well as the writing。 Thanks to netgalley for the ARC。 One to put by your side。 What a treat。 This collection of 38 essays， divided into four sections， comprises previously published essays， unpublished essays and speeches。 Rushdie has always been a vibrant writer and incisive commentator and this collection highlights his interest in truth， language， and art。 It's impossible to categorize。 I dipped in and out to savor the philosophical perspective he brings to everything as well as the writing。 Thanks to netgalley for the ARC。 One to put by your side。 。。。more
Joy
，
In addition to publications， many of the essays compiled here come from lectures or presentations given by Rushdie over the years， providing the reader the opportunity to sit in the classroom or the audience and learn from a master。 Whether it is the craft of writing or political events， each topic is approached with confidence and laser focus。 At times， perhaps， the confidence crosses the line into arrogance， but with the many years of success as well as the dues he has paid， Rushdie can probab In addition to publications， many of the essays compiled here come from lectures or presentations given by Rushdie over the years， providing the reader the opportunity to sit in the classroom or the audience and learn from a master。 Whether it is the craft of writing or political events， each topic is approached with confidence and laser focus。 At times， perhaps， the confidence crosses the line into arrogance， but with the many years of success as well as the dues he has paid， Rushdie can probably be forgiven for flexing his rhetorical muscles a bit。 This is a collection that can be returned to over time， in much the same way as it came about。 It is a legacy preserved for sure。Thank you to Salman Rushdie， Random House， and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Angie Boyter
，
There are 38 essays in this collection， so it should come as no surprise that the subjects are wide-ranging。 The emphasis is on the arts， ALL of the arts， including literature， films， stage， painting， and photography。 Given Rushdie’s background it is also not surprising that the scope is worldwide， including persons most Americans have probably never heard of。 There are also perspectives on society around the world， with some special emphasis on Rushdie’s native India。 Some get personal， includi There are 38 essays in this collection， so it should come as no surprise that the subjects are wide-ranging。 The emphasis is on the arts， ALL of the arts， including literature， films， stage， painting， and photography。 Given Rushdie’s background it is also not surprising that the scope is worldwide， including persons most Americans have probably never heard of。 There are also perspectives on society around the world， with some special emphasis on Rushdie’s native India。 Some get personal， including beautiful homages to deceased friends like Carrie Fisher， Harold Pinter， and Christopher Hitchens and an account of Rushdie’s own “personal engagement with the coronavirus”。 These essays are beautifully written， but what made them stand out to me was the sheer breadth of the author’s knowledge about these subjects， as well as his personal acquaintance with just about every prominent person in the arts of the past 50 years。 How many authors are likely to cite both Heraclitus and Popeye the Sailor on the same page？ These are not just recitations of what Rushdie knows。 There are thoughtful analyses of his subjects。 The scope may also， however， present some problems for readers。 I do not think anyone except Rushdie is likely to be familiar with everyone he cites in the essays。 Sometimes he explains enough for the reader to grasp his point even when the work or person is unfamiliar， but sometimes he does not。 I found myself resorting to Google on numerous occasions。 Also， some essays are very specific， e。g。， “Samuel Beckett’s Novels”， and readers like me who are not Beckett fans may just not be interested。 Others may not want to see his political views creep into essays on other subjects。 Since these are separate essays， if you do not find an essay of interest， you can skip to the next with no loss of context。 On the other hand， an essay on a topic new to you can be fascinating。 Even if you eliminate some essays， though， there is a lot to like and learn and admire in this book。 The first essay alone， Wonder Tales， on the importance of stories， makes the book worthwhile。 And the concluding essay， The Proust Questionnaire， will give you a picture of Salmon Rushdie that you are not likely to find anywhere else。 。。。more
Kasa Cotugno
，
This may be my favorite book this year。 So much to address here， so much richness on full display on a number of subjects and of course， literature being the most prominent as that is the what most people think of when they think of Sir Rushdie。 Along with the publication of George Saunders's A Swim in a Pond in the Rain， several of the entries included in this anthology present a master class in the understanding and exploration of the finer points of literature， as Rushdie has included lecture This may be my favorite book this year。 So much to address here， so much richness on full display on a number of subjects and of course， literature being the most prominent as that is the what most people think of when they think of Sir Rushdie。 Along with the publication of George Saunders's A Swim in a Pond in the Rain， several of the entries included in this anthology present a master class in the understanding and exploration of the finer points of literature， as Rushdie has included lectures from his teachings at Emory University。 But it is his lifelong love of beauty and appreciation of art and artists that add additional shades to this collection。 Then again， there are musings on authors who have meant so much to him， presented with wit and humanity。 The fact that he has counted many friends among his subjects gives these an immediacy。 There are pieces he wrote as introductions to exhibition catalogues， addresses presented to the PEN Gala， and pieces honoring great dear friends as only he can。 Given the two novels he has published during years when America threatened to devolve into Trumpistan， I was not surprised at the NY Times article Truth in which he succinctly and eloquently provides the strongest argument against the perceived danger to art and artists presented by the "cabinet of billionaires。" Altogether， this collection form a portrait of a man of exceedingly acute perception and humanity。 。。。more
Fork Gentley
，
Description of any product by yourself is not an easy task。 You must do a lot of analyzes and fusion work and rewrite dozens of times any sentence or word that your boss would not like。 thesis writing help make all boring and rewriting stuff for me。 Now I can spend more time on real work while they are doing all the description stuff。 Description of any product by yourself is not an easy task。 You must do a lot of analyzes and fusion work and rewrite dozens of times any sentence or word that your boss would not like。 thesis writing help make all boring and rewriting stuff for me。 Now I can spend more time on real work while they are doing all the description stuff。 。。。more
Tulika Jain
，