The greatest writer of our time shares her story. Immerse yourself in Margaret Atwood’s creative world for an explosion of life, art, and everything in between.

Raised by parents with a scientific mindset, Atwood spent most of her childhood in the wild forests of northern Quebec: an expansive playground for her entomologist father and her independent, inventive mother. It was an unobstructed and nomadic childhood, sometimes isolated but also filled with excitement and beauty.

From this unusual starting point, Atwood unfolds her life story, linking key moments with the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the tough school years that inspired Cat’s Eye to her Berlin period in the 1980s, where The Handmaid’s Tale began. On pages filled with nature, reading and books, pivotal political moments, and her enduring love for the talented writer Graeme Gibson, we encounter poets, bears, Hollywood stars, and larger-than-life characters straight out of an Atwood novel.

As she explores her past, Atwood reveals more and more about her writing, the connections between real life and art — and the operation of one of the boldest imaginations.

"She has transformed our eras and made them wise." ALI SMITH

"It’s Margaret Atwood, and she can do anything." ANN PATCHETT

"She saw it coming." TIME

"The exceptional novelist of our time." SUNDAY TIMES

Pages: 752, Dimensions: 15.6x15.6cm