Salman Rushdie and a Signing Record

by Suzan Abrams

Another kind slice of humour. How this made me smile! The Times of India reports with a little help from The Guardian UK that Salman Rushdie has claimed to sign as many as a 1000 books in as little as 57 minutes while tucked away in a Nashville warehouse, during his recent American tour to promote The Enchantress of Florence.

Rushdie has written to The Guardian to inform them of his remarkable feat while taking care to place President Jimmy Carter and Amy Tan on an equal footing with his own triumph. Rushdie added that he had broken wine writer Malcolm Gluck's previous record of having attained 1,001 copies in 59 minutes. Apparently, Rushdie had boasted in his letter that "Gluck's record was toast"... and I wonder if that meant that it hadn't been burnt somewhat at the edges. But of course! :-)

Gluck in turn, questioned whether Rushdie may have just scribbled his initials on, instead - and can't you imagine the grimace that may have come along with this suspicion. On Rushdie's stout denial, Gluck said that while feeling humbled, the entire episode read like a man boasting about his sexual equipment with no regard for a personality. I do agree with Gluck but stay humoured.

I'm tickled to bits. These are the things that make the world go round and don't we all need a carousel ride sometimes.