Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie, a man who knows a thing or two about religious dogma (and the severe repercussions of challenging it), was born in Bombay, British India. He's written some rather acclaimed novels, but none quite reached the incendiary heights of The Satanic Verses.

His works, often blending magical realism with historical fiction, have garnered him numerous literary awards. One might even say he's quite good at his job. But, alas, being good at writing sometimes comes with the rather inconvenient side effect of having a fatwa issued against you, forcing you into hiding for years.

While his writing often explores themes of migration, identity, and the clash of cultures, it seems Judaism wasn't quite on his syllabus. He has, however, inspired a generation of writers to look over their shoulders a little more often.