Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
T
Theodoros Kafantaris
Published on July 07, 2026
Introduction
"I was born in the city of Bombay... at the precise instant of India's arrival at independence." Saleem Sinai announces himself—and Salman Rushdie announces a new voice in literature. Midnight's Children (1981) won the Booker Prize and the Booker of Bookers.
Handcuffed to History
Saleem and the other children born in that first hour possess magical powers. When Saleem's body cracks, India fractures. The metaphor is audacious: one man's body as the map of a nation.
Key Takeaways
- The personal is national
- History is a story we tell
- Magical realism reveals political truth
