Salman Rushdie at 1988 Whitbread Book of the Year event

The transcript discusses the author's reaction to the controversy surrounding their book, highlighting the support received from various communities, including Muslims who oppose the book burning. The author emphasizes the danger of misrepresenting the entire Muslim community based on the actions of a few. The conversation also touches on concerns about the book's impact on a literary prize, stressing the importance of judging based on literary merit rather than external pressures.

What does the author hope regarding the reasons for winning the literary prize?

In what way does the author believe the judges should approach the decision for the literary prize?