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Midnight’s Children

Salman Rushdie

Start date: May 15, 2009

Discussion: Reading List

Discussion leader: Al

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What Members Thought

Aug 11, 2017 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio-books, historical-fiction, 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you, hf-india, fiction-20th-century, book-and-movie, man-booker-prize, 1000-guardian, read-2017

From BBC Radio 4:
1/7 To mark the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India, an ambitious new dramatization of Salman Rushdie's dazzling novel of love, history and magic. Saleem Sinai is born on the stroke of midnight on 15th August 1947, at the exact moment that India and Pakistan become separate, independent nations. From that moment on, his fate is mysteriously handcuffed to the history of his country. The story starts with Saleem's grandfather, Aadam, in Kashmir in 1915.

Part 1: The Perforate From BBC Radio 4:
1/7 To mark the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India, an ambitious new dramatization of Salman Rushdie's dazzling novel of love, history and magic. Saleem Sinai is born on the stroke of midnight on 15th August 1947, at the exact moment that India and Pakistan become separate, independent nations. From that moment on, his fate is mysteriously handcuffed to the history of his country. The story starts with Saleem's grandfather, Aadam, in Kashmir in 1915.

Part 1: The Perforated Sheet
Episode 1: The Perforated Sheet - Dr Aadam Aziz falls in love with a woman concealed behind a perforated sheet.
Episode 2: Hit the Spittoon - Aadam gives refuge to a young poet, scared for his life after the murder of the Hummingbird.
Episode 3: The Public Announcement - Saleem's imminent birth is accidentally announced to the world.

Part 2: The Birth of a Nation
2/7 Saleem Sinai is born on the stroke of midnight on 15th August 1947, at the exact moment that India and Pakistan become separate, independent nations. From that moment on, his fate is mysteriously handcuffed to the history of his country.

Part 3: Snakes and Ladders
3/7 Born at the moment of India's Partition, Saleem grows up in the care of two adoring mothers.

Part 4: All India Radio
4/7 Saleem indulges his ability to tune into other people's thoughts.

Part 5: Alpha and Omega
Alpha and Omega - Saleem continues to talk telepathically to all the other Midnight's Children, who all have their own unique magical powers.
Revelations - Mary's guilty secret finally becomes too much to bear.

Part 6: How Saleem Achieved Purity
The Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 changes Saleem's life forever.

Part 7: The Shadow of the Mosque
- The Shadow of the Mosque: With the help of Parvati the Witch, Saleem returns to Bombay.
- Midnight: Saleem is reunited with the other Midnight's Children in terrifying circumstances

Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon. Starring Nikesh Patel, Abhin Galeya and Meera Syal.

Sound design by Peter Ringrose
Produced and directed by Tracey Neale and Emma Harding.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0909rxg ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Jul 30, 2008 Pang rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: readactor, historical-fiction, constant-reader, 1001-books-to-read

Not a solid 4-star, but somewhere between 3 and 4.

I really enjoyed the way Rushdie wrote: playful and imaginative. I noticed right way. For example, in the beginning when Aadam Aziz was praying and hitting himself at the "point of the nose" as he bent down toward the earth,

Three drops fell. There were rubies and diamonds.

However, I couldn't get into the book. It wasn't a page-turner for me, though I could keep on reading once I started. The story was woven too complex for me at times, and I coul Not a solid 4-star, but somewhere between 3 and 4.

I really enjoyed the way Rushdie wrote: playful and imaginative. I noticed right way. For example, in the beginning when Aadam Aziz was praying and hitting himself at the "point of the nose" as he bent down toward the earth,

Three drops fell. There were rubies and diamonds.

However, I couldn't get into the book. It wasn't a page-turner for me, though I could keep on reading once I started. The story was woven too complex for me at times, and I couldn't catch on to the correlation between Saleem's life and the events that were going on in India right away.

In the end, however, I enjoyed it much better. Things started to make clearer sense for me. The book had a good ending... summarized all the human comedy and tragic that were portrayed earlier. I thought using pickles as an analogy to life was clever. Salty, sweet, spicy, etc. Many flavors.

One day, perhaps, the world may taste the pickles of history. They may be too strong for some palates, their smell may be overpowering, tears may rise to eyes; I hope nevertheless that it will be possible to say of them that they possess the authentic taste of truth ... that they are, despite everything, acts of love.

It was cleverly written. I think that if I go back and read it again, I would enjoy it more. But considering how long it has taken me this time around to finish, I'll wait until I have a bit more time to devote to it.

...more

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Jun 13, 2009 Laura rated it it was ok

Unless you are 100% completely focused on what is happening in this story, don't read it.
I kept tuning out, mind drifting to other places. Once I snapped out of my daydream and paid attention to the story- the words and the painting enveloped me.

Too bad, that the feeling didn't last long.

Will try reading again, when I am mature enough to handle such a book. ...more

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May 08, 2009 Debbie Petersen Wolven marked it as to-read

Reading this with my Constant Reader group on Goodreads.

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Apr 08, 2008 Al rated it liked it

Shelves: 2009-books

this was a very slow read for me. I loved the beginning and the very end and struggled a bit in between. He is a very good writer, but sometimes the metaphors were a bit strained and labored. And it did make me realize how ignorant I am when it comes to India/Pakistan history. But that said, there are a lot of wonderful images and ideas from this book that I think will stay with me for a while.

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