Salman Rushdie, a U.S. citizen for the past decade, will be honored with a National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement. The award, given by the nonprofit National Book Foundation, celebrates distinguished contributions to American literature. Rushdie is the 39th recipient of the honor and the fourth person born outside the U.S. to receive it, following notable authors like Saul Bellow, Isabel Allende, and Art Spiegelman. The ceremony will take place in Manhattan on November 18, where prizes in five competitive categories will also be awarded. The medal will be presented by Kiran Desai, a longtime friend and fellow author. Rushdie, who is 79 years old, was born in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and moved to England in his teens. He now lives in New York City with his wife, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, who is also a writer. Rushdie described the award as a recognition of his sense of belonging in the U.S., noting that becoming a citizen deepened his connection to the country. He also referenced the experience of fellow writer Raymond Carver, who once described himself as being "out there in literature now" after receiving an award. In addition to honoring Rushdie, the National Book Foundation will also present the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community to Perri Klass, a pediatrician and literacy activist. Previous recipients include Maya Angelou, Terry Gross, and Roxane Gay. Dolly Parton was offered the award multiple times in recent years but declined each time, stating she did not need the recognition. Parton passed away last month at age 80. Rushdie has authored more than 20 books, including the Booker Prize-winning novel "Midnight's Children," often ranked among the greatest contemporary novels. His 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses," which references the Prophet Muhammad, sparked global protests and a fatwa from Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for his death. Rushdie had been out of danger in recent years until he was stabbed repeatedly onstage in 2022 during a literary festival in western New York. The assailant, Hadi Matar, was found guilty of attempted murder by a state jury and of transnational terrorism and providing material support to Hezbollah by a federal jury. Rushdie has since published a memoir about the attack, "Knife," and the story collection "The Eleventh Hour." "Knife" is also the basis for an Alex Gibney documentary of the same name, set to release on September 17. Rushdie's only competitive National Book Award nomination came in 2024 for "Knife." Earlier works like "Midnight's Children" were published before Rushdie was eligible for the award. Rushdie views himself as a city writer and describes his life as having three chapters: South Asia, London, and New York. He notes that being an "American" writer does not necessarily require setting books in the U.S. and places himself in the tradition of immigrant writers, including Bellow, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Yiyun Li.