Celebrated Canadian author Margaret Atwood, now 84, is crafting a memoir that she describes as full of “stupid things and catastrophes” to keep things interesting. Known for her dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood has written more than 60 books across various genres, including novels, poetry, short stories, and children’s literature. Despite her long and illustrious career, she remains enthusiastic about writing, sharing, “I’m not a writer who exists in a state of misery… I’m having a good time.”
Atwood was recently in Denmark to accept the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, where she spoke about her views on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on creativity. While AI has sparked concern among younger creatives, Atwood expressed a relaxed attitude toward the technology. “I’m too old to get too worried about this stuff. But if I were 30, I’d be worried,” she admitted, noting that professions like graphic design could face greater challenges from AI. She humorously critiqued AI’s attempts at poetry, saying, “So far, AI is a crap poet. Really bad. And it’s not a very good fiction writer either.”
Atwood’s landmark novel The Handmaid’s Tale continues to resonate in contemporary discussions, especially after a resurgence in popularity following Donald Trump’s election in 2016. Her 2019 sequel, The Testaments, won the Booker Prize and delves further into the world of Gilead, expanding on her critique of authoritarianism. In the recent interview, Atwood reiterated her concerns about Trump’s “autocratic tendencies,” expressing apprehension over the current U.S. political landscape.
Reflecting on the passing of her husband, author Graeme Gibson, Atwood’s recent work, Old Babes in the Wood (2021), explores themes of family, marriage, grief, and loss. The collection of stories, published two years after Gibson’s death, has a deeply personal tone, and its themes reflect Atwood’s own experiences with love and mourning.
As for her upcoming memoir, Atwood has hinted that readers can expect a blend of humor and self-reflection. With a touch of irony, she mentioned that she is only including “stupid things and catastrophes” in the memoir, dismissing other aspects of her life as “boring.” When asked about the future, she remarked, “I love people asking me about the future. What do you have in mind? The next two years, the next five years, the next 10 years? We don’t know.”
Despite a lifetime of literary success, Atwood remains engaged, open-minded, and ever-curious about the world, affirming her place as one of contemporary literature’s most enduring voices.
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