Sun Nov 02 14:20:00 UTC 2025: News Article:
Rushdie’s “The Eleventh Hour” Shows Glimmers of Brilliance but Falls Short of Past Glory
Salman Rushdie’s latest collection, “The Eleventh Hour: A Quintet of Stories,” grapples with mortality and the passage of time in the wake of his near-fatal attack in 2022. The collection, comprised of three new and two previously published stories, attempts to recapture the magic of Rushdie’s earlier work but often feels strained and uneven.
Alexandra Jacobs, writing for The New York Times, notes that while the stories demonstrate Rushdie’s “teeming intellect, generous soul, survivor, bon vivant, lover of language,” the collection ultimately struggles to achieve the coherence and impact of his past masterpieces.
The collection includes “In the South,” a previously published story about an unlikely friendship, and “The Old Man in the Piazza,” an essay-like piece on the importance of argumentation. A central novella, “Lost,” explores themes of legacy and unfulfilled potential through the story of a deceased college professor who haunts his former campus. The remaining stories delve into themes of artistic creation and plagiarism, drawing heavily on literary and artistic references.
While the collection contains moments of brilliance and showcases Rushdie’s signature wit and imagination, Jacobs suggests that it often feels more like a collection of ideas than fully realized narratives. “The Eleventh Hour” is a testament to Rushdie’s enduring spirit but may leave readers longing for the heights of his previous work.
First Piper 