Rushdie says mother's gossip was inspiration

Salman Rushdie says his mother's gossip had a strong influence on his literary career.

Rushdie says his mother was a "world class gossip" and that it was from her that he got a feel for talking about secrets.

He says things got to the point where she threatened to stop passing him rumors because they kept cropping up in his books.

The 61-year-old novelist says he got into writing because he wanted to bring storytelling back to literature.

In a talk at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the author said Sunday that his second novel, "Midnight's Children," would have never existed if not for his upbringing in India.

Rushdie says his "Midnight's Children" was set in his home and his school, but says the main character is not him.

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