Book of Lives A Memoir of Sorts [electronic resource] :
How does the greatest writer of our time tell her own story? Raised by scientifically minded parents, Margaret Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forests of northern Quebec, where her entomologist father and independent, resourceful mother created an unfettered and nomadic childhood, sometimes isolated but also thrilling and beautiful. From this unconventional start, Margaret unfolds the story of her life, linking key moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel school year that would inspire Cat’s Eye to the unease of 1980s Berlin, where she began The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages alive with the natural world, reading and books, major political turning points, and her lifelong love for the charismatic writer Graeme Gibson, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood stars, and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel. As she explores her past, Margaret reveals more and more about her writing, the connections between real life and art—and the workings of one of our very greatest imaginations.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780771096440
- Physical Description: 320 p.
- Publisher: [S.l.]: McClelland & Stewart, 2025.
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| Subject: | Personal Memoirs > BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Women > BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Literary > BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY |
| Genre: | Electronic books. |
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Electronic resources
- Random House, Inc.
How does one of the greatest storytellers of our time write her own life? The long-awaited memoir from one of our most lauded and influential cultural figures.
âEvery writer is at least two beings: the one who lives, and the one who writes. Though everything written must have passed through their minds, or mind, they are not the same.â
Raised by ruggedly independent, scientifically minded parentsâentomologist father, dietician motherâAtwood spent most of each year in the wild forest of northern Quebec. This childhood was unfettered and nomadic, sometimes isolated (on her eighth birthday: âIt sounds forlorn. It was forlorn. It gets more forlorn.â), but also thrilling and beautiful.
From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking seminal moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel year that spawned Catâs Eye to the Orwellian 1980s of East Berlin where she wrote The Handmaidâs Tale. In pages bursting with bohemian gatherings, her magical life with the wildly charismatic writer Graeme Gibson and major political turning points, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood actors and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel.
As we travel with her along the course of her life, more and more is revealed about her writing, the connections between real life and artâand the workings of one of our greatest imaginations.