Margaret Atwood has written more than 50 books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction and is also known as an activist for human and literary rights. Credit George Whiteside
Nashville Public Library will give Margaret Atwood its annual literary award this weekend. Book clubs around Nashville have been reading her dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale in preparation.
The book paints a picture of a future America where an extreme form of religion has displaced the government and fertile women are held in a form of reproductive slavery. Atwood says she wrote the story to deal with backlash to the feminist movement. She wasn’t comfortable just dismissing hateful things people said as propaganda or exaggeration.
“It wouldn’t take much to put women right back into about 1835. All you have to do is reverse a few laws, and while you’re at it, get control of their bank accounts through their credit cards. “
Atwood is still writing speculative fiction. She’s currently finishing a trilogy set in a future where corporations have taken over and genetic manipulation is out of control, but says it’s a challenge to stay ahead of actual scientific advances.
Listen to Atwood talk about the pace of change and why she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale:
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Atwood on the craft of writing speculative fiction:
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Atwood explains why she enjoys Tweeting:
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