Salman Rushdie says he is tired of being ‘free speech Barbie’ after 2022 attack

Salman Rushdie expressed his desire to move beyond being defined by the 2022 attack that left him blind in one eye, stating he is tired of being seen as a "free speech Barbie." Speaking at a book festival in New Orleans, Rushdie emphasized his identity as a working writer and his frustration that the focus remains on the attack related to his book, *The Satanic Verses*, rather than his broader body of work. He discussed his recent short story collection, *The Eleventh Hour*, his first fiction since the attack, and his relief at being able to write fiction again after publishing his memoir, *Knife*. Hadi Matar, his attacker, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the attempted murder. Rushdie served as president of PEN America, advocating for free speech.

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