San Antonio’s literary scene has long been a vibrant landscape of voices, ideas, and storytelling, and at its heart is the San Antonio Book Festival. Each year, the festival’s sole fundraising event, the Book Appétit luncheon, brings together literary enthusiasts for an intimate and engaging conversation with a world-renowned author. This year’s gathering at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on March fifth was no exception, featuring none other than Salman Rushdie—a literary giant, a fierce advocate for free expression, and a man whose very presence is a testament to resilience.
Rushdie’s latest work, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, is an unflinching personal narrative that delves into his survival and recovery following the near-fatal attack on his life in 2022. Sitting across from former Texas Monthly editor-in-chief Dan Goodgame, Rushdie recounted that harrowing morning when he stood before an audience to speak on the importance of protecting writers—only to become a victim of the very violence he sought to discuss. The conversation was both sobering and inspiring, as Rushdie spoke of the medical miracles that saved him, the deep gratitude he holds for those who tended to him, and the fortitude required to continue his work in the face of threats.
As much as the afternoon was a reflection on resilience, it was also filled with warmth, humor, and moments of levity. Rushdie shared charming anecdotes, including how he met his wife and fell in love—a reminder that his story is not solely one of survival but of an unyielding embrace of life in all of its complexity. He spoke passionately about the role of literature in society, the necessity to champion diverse voices, and the enduring power of book festivals to foster conversations that matter.
The Book Appétit luncheon serves as the official launch for the San Antonio Book Festival, which returns on April 12 with a daylong celebration of literature at the Central Library and UTSA Southwest Campus. With over 100 authors spanning local, regional, and national stages, the festival promises something for every reader. And in a world where stories have the power to challenge, heal, and connect us, Rushdie’s presence at this year’s luncheon was a powerful reminder of why spaces like this matter more now than ever.
To learn more about the San Antonio Book Festival, visit sabookfestival.org and connect with the organization on social media @sabookfest.
THE VOICE:
Eleanora Morrison
Mike Villarreal is a PhD data scientist and entrepreneur who applies artificial intelligence to solve complex problems across sectors. He founded FairAppraisalNow.com, using AI to help homeowners appeal property tax appraisals, making sophisticated data science accessible to citizens. As Principal Data Scientist at CML Insight, he and his colleagues develop AI solutions to help organizations solve problems and strengthen their continuous improvement efforts. Previously, as Assistant Commissioner at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Mike led the Texas Insights Accelerator, transforming education and workforce data into actionable intelligence for policy decisions. At UT San Antonio, he founded the Urban Education Institute, researching educational achievement for minority and economically disadvantaged students. His fifteen years in the Texas House of Representatives provided insight into data-policy intersections. One of his key achievements was authoring legislation that created Texas’ statewide education and workforce data system, the backbone for data-driven innovation and research in education in Texas.