Salman Rushdie speaks at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, CA.Rushdie is one of modern literature's most global celebrities. He was born in India to a Muslim family, raised speaking both English and Urdu, educated at a British preparatory school and has lived his adult life in both London and New York City. The dynamic complexity of his life experience has sharpened Rushdie's skill as a cultural observer and has been the source for some of his most powerful themes, including religious faith and fanaticism.