Salman Rushdie on Italy, Art, and Life After Security

Italian cinema opened the door to the country long before a single foot touched its streets. Films by Antonioni, Visconti and Rossellini supplied a mental map that later turned into real‑world navigation. Walking through Rome, sketching its piazzas, and wandering Florence became the primary way to learn the city’s geography. A parallel emerged between Italian and Indian attitudes toward time and life, suggesting a shared cultural rhythm that felt both familiar and surprising.

Literary Encounters

A friendship with Italo Calvino began after Calvino read a critique of If on a winter’s night a traveler and asked for an introduction at a London event. The bond with Umberto Eco started on a rocky note: a hostile review of The Name of the Rose gave way to reconciliation when Eco approached the speaker in the Louvre. Dante commands admiration, yet Boccaccio wins for “fun” and “mischievous” storytelling. Elena Ferrante earns praise for the “wicked” and “mischievous” nature of her Naples‑based narratives.

Art and Music

Francesco Clemente stands out as a “gigantic artist” and a “genius watercolorist.” His work draws deeply from Indian influences, though the speaker does not share Clemente’s spiritual fascination with the country. Music bridges the conversation: both participants cherish Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, while modern hip‑hop feels elusive because of its rapidly shifting slang. A light‑hearted debate about the Beatles versus the Rolling Stones adds a generational flavor to the dialogue.

Personal Life and Security

A health crisis triggered a 57‑pound weight loss that has been maintained, proving effective though not a recommended diet technique. The speaker stresses the need for an intellectual and artistic partner, noting that two writers cannot live together if they dislike each other’s work. After nine years of state‑run security restrictions, a move to New York restored personal liberty; the United States places protection in the private sector rather than in pervasive governmental monitoring.

Personal Evolution

A sedentary lifestyle once threatened health, but the subsequent weight loss marked a turning point toward stability. Aging brings reflections on long‑term relationships, the importance of shared creativity, and the desire to “jump out of the ship” rather than remain adrift. The speaker’s 25‑year residence in New York underscores a broader evolution from constrained European security to a freer, self‑directed existence.