Margaret Atwood, celebrated for her groundbreaking works like The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments, has announced the release of her highly anticipated memoir, “Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts,” per vogue.com. Set to hit shelves on November 4 the memoir promises to weave together the threads of Atwood’s extraordinary life and her iconic literary career.
In a candid conversation with Vogue, the renowned Canadian author revealed that the memoir was initially met with reluctance. “I said, ‘Oh, that would be so boring,’” she quipped. “I mean, I wrote a book, I wrote another book, I wrote another book…who’s going to read that?” Yet, the idea grew on her when her publishers proposed a “memoir in a literary style,” focusing on the vivid memories that shaped her life and work.
“Book of Lives” spans Atwood’s nomadic childhood in Canada’s far north, her time in East Berlin while writing The Handmaid’s Tale, and her life with late partner Graeme Gibson. It also delves into the “horrible fun” of her creative process, including quirky anecdotes like using a tea towel as a makeshift address in rural Ireland.
Atwood, known for her sharp wit, describes herself as “a very cheerful person” despite the dystopian themes in her novels. “I would rather write about silly things,” she says, reflecting on the “capers” and “fun-raisers” that punctuated her life.
The memoir’s cover features a playful image of Atwood in a fuchsia jacket, embodying her irreverent spirit.
Atwood hopes readers will enjoy “Book of Lives” as much as she enjoyed writing it.
“Book of Lives” will be published by Doubleday in the US, McClelland & Stewart in Canada, and Chatto & Windus in the UK.
- Featured image: Margaret Atwood in 1986, the year after she released The Handmaid’s Tale/Photo: © Duane Michals/Courtesy of DC Moore Gallery, New York
