Salman Rushdie at Portsmouth Music Hall

A change of pace tonight. A few months ago, we saw Salman Rushdie speak and do an interview as part of the Writers on a New England Stage series presented by NH Public Radio. He gave a brief reading from his recent memoir, Joseph Anton, followed by an interview.

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I've always been a fan of his personally, and I think we won a new fan in my wife. It's just fascinating to hear him talk generally. He went through his time under guard and his move to the US. He also spoke briefly about his personal lack of religion. I appreciate that, since after the death of Hitchens, I feel like there's a large void to be filled here. There are academics like Dawkins and analytical philosophers like Harris, who lack the tact and style of the writerly approach to activism. Someone needs to bring the joy of that debate back. Of course, far be it from me to hope for Rushdie to fill the gap, there's no way he should poke that hornets nest ever again in such a high-profile way.

It was a fun, too short, intimate evening, I'm lucky to have been able to go.