Event Review: “Margaret Atwood in Conversation with Tara McCarthy”

On Saturday, December 13, Margaret Atwood came to Edmonton for “Margaret Atwood in Conversation with Tara McCarthy” to talk about her memoir, Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts.   

It was a fantastic night. The globally acclaimed author was welcomed with a standing ovation. As I looked into the crowd, all I could see were smiling faces. Everyone was excited to be in the presence of a Canadian legend. 

Atwood added Edmonton to her tour last minute after her book, The Handmaid’s Tale, was set to be pulled from Edmonton Public School’s library book shelves. She made a point to come to Alberta to show her support for local book stores and libraries, and a portion of every ticket sale went to the Edmonton Public Library. 

The event was hosted by Audrey’s Books, a local book store, and moderated by Tara McCarthy from CBC Radio. The author was witty, welcoming, and a joy to hear speak. 

The interview began with her motivation behind writing a memoir. They then went through the main points of her new book, and concluded with questions about her writing process and view on the world.

Atwood’s passion for learning and growing was obvious in how her eyes lit up whenever she spoke about building new skills and listening to different people. And she provided a very down to Earth perspective on writing and hope.

The whole night felt like a cozy conversation with your grandmother. She told stories about growing up in Canada, writing in both Berlin and Canada, raising her daughter, loving her husband, and growing to fame.

What stood out to me was how despite her fame, she still sees herself as an everyday person. Her responses to questions were never perfectly scripted, she was honest. She said she hated writing about herself because it was boring. She admitted that she is not a good typist, and shared how it takes time to think of a good story idea. Many of her ideas were scrapped or evolved into a new concept.

Furthermore, Atwood was humble as she spoke about becoming a household name. And she never seemed conceited or full of herself. She loves critical thinkers and appreciates the editors who give her constructive criticism.

While humble, she was also confident and self-assured. She knows her worth, and the power of her stories. When she published her first book in Edmonton in 1969, The Edible Woman, she received push back from many male interviewers. As she puts it, she was “hailed by women and feared by men.”

She also spoke about “eviscerating” interviewers who wanted to “eviscerate her.” She’s not afraid to speak up, and is an inspiration for local advocates protesting against book banning and misogyny.

As the interview continued, she told us about what inspired her books. Her most popular book, The Handmaid’s Tale, was based on a dystopian Christian theocracy. The one certain right-wing American politicians describe they wanted to build. One that would keep women in the home, controlled by men. 

She created a universe where these beliefs were taken literally. While fiction, everything that happened to the characters in her book has happened at some point in human history.

For example, the handmaids in the story were only valued for their ability to give birth, and were forced to have children. In a previous interview, the author described this as a parallel to the Communist reign of Ceaușescu in Romania when women were forced to undergo monthly pregnancy tests and have four children. 

The commentary and reality in her writing is the reason why so many people either love or fear her work.

But, she is not scared of book bans. She has even found them to improve her book sales. Her powerful writing cannot be erased. 

When the Government of Alberta started ordering the banning books with sexual content from Alberta public schools, Atwood frequently expressed her opinion against Premier Danielle Smith’s decision. She even wrote a satirical short story inspired by The Handmaid’s Tale to show that she will not stop writing and her stories will continue to be read in Alberta.

At the end of the interview, she spoke about hope for the future. 

“There is always hope, unless the Titanic is actually sinking and you’re in the steerage,” Atwood said. 

I would love for that to be a slogan on a t-shirt. Her words uplifted the whole crowd, and she inspired everyone to keep reading and learning. 

She said that it was the audiences’ responsibility to stop book bans and decide the future of our world. Reading what a few do not want us to read is important to stay educated. 

It was a privilege to hear her speak and I look forward to reading more of her work.