Salman rushdie autobiography

When Salman Rushdie granted Emory his archive—records that capture four decades of his literary life—he wasn’t just opening the door to public examination of a writer and his creative process.

Organizing his life’s writings, which range from scribbled notes and faded faxes to computer files, also made it possible for the award-winning author to tackle in-depth research for a new book—an autobiographical memoir.

Emory’s archives “actually allowed me to write the memoir,” says Rushdie, speaking in March during discussion at Woodruff Library on how digital scholarship has shaped his craft.

The event was one of a series of programs and appearances scheduled during his recent two-week visit as University Distinguished Professor.

“People had been asking me [to write it] for a very long time, but I just didn’t feel ready,” he says of the long-awaited book, Joseph Anton: A Memo