STEP ACROSS THIS LINE Collected Nonfiction 1992-2002

Before the 1988 publication of SATANIC VERSES, Rushdie was a respected British literary writer. He zoomed into the international spotlight when, because of portrayals in that novel, the Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for his death. Always outspoken, Rushdie's opinion was sought on everything. In his writing, the author seems unable to leave his childhood behind. Listening to these essays, we experience a brilliant mind, whining. Even more frustrating, it's difficult to know how much of this tone might be in the text, and how much is superimposed by Bombay-born actor Firdous Bamji. Raised in South Carolina, and reading with perfect enunciation, Bamji fails to deliver the subtle British nuances that have played such an important part in Rushdie's life and themes. R.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]