Two global stars of the book world, Margaret Atwood and Neil Gaiman, chaired by Erica Wagner, join forces to discuss Salman Rushdie’s new novel, Victory City, with special readings by Sarita Choudhury for this exclusive online event, dedicated to the power of storytelling.
Victory City is an epic tale set in fourteenth-century southern India that holds a powerful message for us all now: our power is fleeting, but our stories last forever. This is Salman Rushdie at his best.
After losing her mother, nine-year-old Pampa Kampana has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for a goddess, who begins to speak out of the girl’s mouth and grant powers beyond comprehension. The goddess foretells that Pampa will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga - literally 'victory city' - the wonder of the world.
After whispering Bisnaga and its citizens into existence, Pampa Kampana attempts to make good on the task that the goddness set for her: to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. But all stories have a way of getting away from their creator, and Bisnaga is no exception. As years pass, rulers come and go, battles are won and lost, and allegiances shift, the very fabric of the city becomes an ever more complex tapestry.
This is a feminist fable of love, adventure and myth and a testament to the power of storytelling.
Celebrating Salman Rushdie's Victory City was originally broadcast on Thu 9 Feb 2023 and presented in parternship with PEN America, PEN Canada and English PEN.
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0:00 Introduction
6:45 Reading - Pampa Kampana's Encounter with a Goddess
14:01 Opening of the Novel
18:45 Women's Lives & Agency
23:09 Alternative Stories
27:47 Reading - Creation of a Great City
32:19 What Excited You About the Novel?
38:12 Patterns in the Novel
42:38 Drawing on Indian History
46:50 Reading - Pampa Kampana Brings her Great City Alive.
49:17 The Dangers of Storytelling
53:42 Eternal Youth
59:39 Reading - Action
1:04:48 The Role of War
1:12:05 Salman's Writing Style
1:15:58 Closing Comments
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