Rushdie alternated between serious religious and political discussion, critical discussion of his own works, and lighthearted remarks about a variety of topics that occasionally elicited loud laughter and applause.

The talk, moderated by School of International and Public Affairs Dean Lisa Anderson, caused long lines outside of the theater on Wednesday and Thursday as students tried to obtain tickets to the sold-out event.

Rushdie, who is usually reclusive due to the death fatwah issued by Iran's former leader the Ayatollah Khomeini, has appeared on campus several times during the course of the festival. Last Saturday he engaged in an "informal conversation" with University President Lee Bollinger, but Friday's discussion, which was proposed by students, was intended as an opportunity for students to engage in dialogue with Rushdie.

As students entered the theater they passed a box in which to drop any questions they wished to have answered by Rushdie, which Rushdie had an opportunity to read prior to the session. The event was structured so that the first hour was devoted to these questions, read to Rushdie by Anderson, while during the final half-hour students addressed Rushdie directly.

The speakers, who were seated close to the audience in two chairs near the front of the stage, created an intimate and informal environment. Rushdie seemed particularly at ease, even when dealing with highly political and emotionally-charged subjects.

Anderson began the discussion by introducing Rushdie and laying out the format for the talk.

"It is our intention that the evening be provocative, revealing, and enlightening, both for Columbia students and ... Mr. Rushdie as well," Anderson said.

The discussion began with questions pertaining to Rushdie's works themselves. Rushdie is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction, some of which have created storms of religious and political controversy. The fatwah on Rushdie was issued in response to his novel The Satanic Verses, which many Muslims see as a blasphemous satire of the prophet Mohammad.

"His work has been both celebrated and condemned in far more extravagant terms than nearly any other writer of our time," Anderson said.

The first question read by Anderson dealt with the influence of the Russian author Vladimir Nabokov on Rushdie's own writing. Rushdie expressed great admiration for the author.

"I think he's probably the only example of a great writer who was a great writer in two different languages," Rushdie said. "I've always been interested in writers who have made journeys in their lives, who are transcultural writers. ... Nabokov is that, kind of to the max."

THE REMAINDER OF THE TALKMAY BE READ AT THE URL ABOVE.