Atwood April 2013

April will be dedicated to Ms. Atwood. Read, reread, anything you would like by this incredible Canadian author. The first 2 titles up above, starting with The Handmaid's Tale, were my introduction to her and I was immediately a huge fan. The next 2 titles are what I plan to read, with a possible 3rd, fidgeting in the wings.

I know there are many Atwood fans here, so I know there should be some interest and if you haven't tried her yet, (shame on you! I can say that because I was a late-comer too), this might be the perfect opportunity. Come on over and let us know your Atwood history and what you plan to read.

I think I've only read Alias Grace but I loved it. I am planning to read Lady Oracle in April which is an older one, and if the spirit moves me, maybe The Handmaid's Tale. Thanks for organizing this, Mark!

Excellent - I keep thinking I need to read more of hers but haven't gotten round to it recently. Atwood April it is... I think I shall go for...*brief absence whilst I check what I have ready on the e-reader*... Alias Grace - and if I have time maybe Cat's Eye as well.

I'm in! I adore Ms Atwood!
I've read quite a few of hers already but I plan on reading Cat's Eye and then I would like to do a reread of Oryx and Crake and Year of the Flood as the third book comes out sometime this year.

I'll be reading Alias Grace.

I've read The Handmaid's Tale, The Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake and Year of the Flood by her.

I am part way through Alias Grace and stalled (although loving it!)so will finish that one. It also fits into my personal challenge to read more books by Canadian authors. AND it is a 1001 read.

Maybe something else also for April- possibilities:
The Blind Assassin
The Handmaid's Tale
Oryx and Crake
Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth
The Year of the Flood

I loved Alias Grace and have read The Handmaid's Tale. I want to read The Robber Bride next, for some reason...... Will see if I can get into that in the next couple of days. Thanks for the "nudge". :)

I have The Year of the Flood on my list of possibilities for April so I might join in with Atwood April if I have time.

Great idea!

I've never read anything by Margaret Atwood...what would be a good 'first read'?

My first read was The Handmaid's Tale. So, I tend to recommend that. But, I suppose it really depends on the kind of reading you like. This one is a dystopian story, if you like that sort of thing. Alias Grace is set in an earlier century and blends history and fiction in a beautiful way...... And then, there are her other books that are more sci-fi....

I am in as well! Of course! I have been waiting for April to long. Well, I do hope to read The Handmaid's Tale, reread The Blind Assassin and maybe The Robber Bride

I am an Atwood newbie, although I tried her once in my young and stupid days and couldn't get into it. Now both older and wiser, I'm ready to give her another try. I've chosen Alias Grace to start with.

I've read several Atwoods already but I plan to read Alias Grace and if there's time, a short story collection, Wilderness Tips.

I've read The Handmaid's Tale and am considering joining you in April. Not sure which book to pick though. Most likely, either The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin, or possibly, Cat's Eye.

How about a group read of Alias Grace in April?

That would be fun fuzzi. I have read it (and all Margaret Atwood's books actually) but I would love to re-read Alias Grace as it is one of my favourites.

Thread is here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/151856

Thanks for setting this up, Mark!

I'm leaning towards Lady Oracle, but may read either The Year of the Flood or Alias Grace instead. I'm not sure yet. I'll definitely read one.

My only "owned-unread" Atwoods are The Robber Bride and Dancing Girls and Other Stories, so I will try to get to one of those in April. Most likely the former.

I have a fair sampling of Atwoods that I haven't read yet, though I've read about half of her catalog so far.

Here are my plans for April:
Life Before Man
Lady Oracle
In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination
Surfacing
Bodily Harm
Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth

and, if I can get to it, a re-read of The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus!

I could essentially quote Kerri's Atwood reading considerations in #19 above. I will see what they have at my new favorite used bookstore...... :-)

Kerri, Es, and Ellen - I vote that you all read Lady Oracle. That way I'll have someone to talk to about it :)

I'm another Atwood newbie. I couldn't find The Handmaid's Tale but I will try another.

Of oryx & Crake or The Blind Assassin which should I start with??

#23 - I'm actually leaning towards Lady Oracle! I believe it is also the shortest of the three I'm considering, which helps, due to other April reading commitments.

I have pulled out my copy of Surfacing, an older Atwood I haven't read yet, and ordered a copy of Moral Disorder from the library. I've read a lot of Atwood and enjoy her books very much. I look forward to reliving some of my favorites through comments from those reading them for the first time.

I was rummaging around my real and Kindle shelves and discovered that I do, in fact, own a copy of The Blind Assassin so I think I'll go with that one.

>24 TinaV95:: Tina, I'd read The Blind Assassin first (I adored it), personally. Oryx and Crake is really good too, though. The latter is more post-apocalyptic; the former has some neat multi-genre stuff going on - it tells the story through newspaper clippings, a sci-fi story, and narration of the actual plot.

If you can find The Handmaid's Tale somewhere - anywhere - you need to read it :) It's fantastic and essential Atwood!

>27 lindapanzo:: Good pick! I love that one!

>23 katiekrug:: Oh, I'm definitely going to read Lady Oracle during the month, Katie.

I'm in for Atwood April, probably The Year of the Flood and Blind Assassin. Maybe Cat's Eye?

I'd also like to bring your attention to a book of poetry by Atwood, Morning in the Burned House. I read it earlier this year because it was referenced in a Louise Penny novel that I'd just read. The poetry book is terrific, and perfect to digest in small bites (can you tell it's almost suppertime for me?!)

Looking forward to Atwood April!

Karen O.

Okay, I nabbed a used copy of The Blind Assassin but I'll see if I can find a copy of Lady Oracle.

I think we have a little Atwood Fever going on here! Whew! Let me cool down.

Fuzzi- Thanks for starting up an alias Grace G.R.! How cool. I might even be convinced to joining you very fine people, although I wouldn't be able to start it for a couple of weeks.

Tina- I would go with The Blind Assassin, since a few of us are kicking off the month with that one!

I'm burning up...

The only Atwood I've tried is Blind Assassin and for some reason I just lost interest in it halfway through. If I remember correctly, it had two or three story lines and one of them I just didn't care about.

Anyway, I have a copy of Atwood's stories called Moral Disorder so I'm going to try that for April. I'm so happy Donna is going to be reading that one too. And, it also qualifies for Richard's thread on reading short stories this year so it's a "twofer."

Thanks for setting this up Mark. There's obviously a lot of interest in Atwood.

Thanks Es & Mark! The Blind Assassin wins!!

Hooray for The Blind Assassin!

#34 The Blind Assassin was my introduction to Atwood too and I think it's still my favourite although it would be a close call between that, The Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace.

I have 4 unread Atwoods: Cat's Eye, The Robber Bride, Bodily Harm and The Penelopiad. I'm going to try and read Cat's Eye first as that's the one I've had the longest.

For anyone who also participates in the TIOLI Challenges, here are the Atwood works that have been added so far:

Alias Grace is in Challenge #3,
The Blind Assassin is in Challenge #10,
Cat’s Eye is in Challenge #9,
The Handmaid’s Tale in Challenge #9, and
Lady Oracle is in Challenge #14.

Very nice, Dejah_Thoris! Thank you. :)

Ooh! How do I get to the April challenges already?

I just added a challenge #16, just for Atwood April. I hope that maybe we could get all of the Atwoods in one place? I posted a link to this thread in the April TIOLI thread.

Karen O.

Here's a link to the April TIOLI thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/151966

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

So I've got Lady Oracle in 14 as well, plus Life Before Man (fore) and The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus (elope) in challenge 3. I can't wait to see what else I can fit in :)

Karen O , I've added Morning in the Burned House to the wiki in challenge 16. I loved the poem you had on your thread from that book! I picked up my copy from the library yesterday.

A very recent interview with Atwood that some might enjoy. Love the pic.

http://bullettmedia.com/article/margaret-atwood-on-positron-writing-habits-pre-f...

My favorite poem by Atwood is "You Fit Into Me":

You fit into me
like a hook into an eye

a fish hook
an open eye

I also love her "Siren Song":

This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistible:

the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see beached skulls

the song nobody knows
because anyone who had heard it
is dead, and the others can’t remember.
Shall I tell you the secret
and if I do, will you get me
out of this bird suit?
I don’t enjoy it here
squatting on this island
looking picturesque and mythical
with these two feathery maniacs,
I don’t enjoy singing
this trio, fatal and valuable.

I will tell the secret to you,
to you, only to you.
Come closer. This song

is a cry for help: Help me!
Only you, only you can,
you are unique

at last. Alas
it is a boring song
but it works every time.

>jennybhatt thank you for the link. That portrait is almost scary but very thought provoking. And I love the humor in the interview.

Wonderful poems, Esquiress! I've memorized the first one......

Thanks for the Atwood poems! I'm definitely going to have to explore her poetry more.

streamsong, I hope you like Morning in the Burned House as much as I did. I think I'll have to check that one out from the library and join you for a reread.

Karen O.

For those of us into the Louise Penny books, it might be of interest to know that Three Pines poet Ruth Zardo is "borrowing" her poems from Margaret Atwood. It would be interesting to know for sure that Ms. Atwood is a Penny fan and wrote those lines specifically for the books. I like to think that is the case.

Atwood is a great poet, for sure.

The first poem "You Fit Into Me" is probably going to be one of the quotes in a song/ literature quotation tattoo half-sleeve that I will get some day in a perfect world.

Donna, I went to a talk by Louise Penny at a local college back around this past Labor Day. Can't remember if she mentioned it then, or if I read it somewhere, but, for the first Gamache book, Still Life, Penny got permission to use Atwood's poetry. I think all the profits from the book went to Atwood. Since then, Louise Penny has some other arrangement with Atwood.

I've read Blind Assassin within the past year so should be able to contribute to discussion of that one.

Sad to say I didn't recognize Atwood's poetry in the Louise Penny books. That she borrowed feels off to me. I gave up on the Louise Penny books about 4 books ago.

Hello everyone!

I've been meaning to read Oryx and Crake for a long while and this April I've decided to use the opportunity and finally take the plunge :) This will be my first Atwood book so I'm really looking forward to getting to know a new author.

I am listening to the audiobook of Oryx and Crake because it was available immediately from the library as a digital download. Gotta love that! Really good so far.

I finished my first Atwood April today! It was a reread for me I wanted to reread Oryx and Crake and Year of the Flood again before the final book of the trilogy, MaddAddam, comes out this fall

My review of Oryx and Crake is here

> 54
I believe that would be an Atwood March. ;-)

I think that I have read all of Margaret Atwood's books - except for the poetry. I know that she has another book coming out. Atwood delayed the publication date as she is one of the three jurors of the Giller Prize this year- I think the book will come out after the prize is awarded in the fall.

I'll be reading Alias Grace which has been on my list for a while. The only other Atwood's I've read are The Handmaid's Tale and Cat's Eye.

I did not start the Blind Assassin today. Boo, Mark. But I will be jumping in with both feet tomorrow.

Mamie- I LOVED Oryx and Crake on audio. I hope it works for you.

I'm about two hours in and really liking it so far. I requested Lady Oracle and The Handmaid's Tale from the library system, but neither of them is in yet.

I have started The Blind Assassin... Cheated a bit and read a few pages this weekend. I'll be juggling it with The Great Gatsby when my book arrives. Til then, I'm Atwooding it! :)

Oooh - Atwood as a verb! Nice one, Tina :)

I started The Blind Assassin. She is such a goddess. This is my 3rd book by her and each one has a unique and varied tone to it. And she's so damn smart and creative too!

Atwooding! Gotta love it!

Oh, I loved The Blind Assassin, but I read it so long ago I don't remember much of the plot other than it was very complex. Maybe I should reread it...

I plan on starting Moral Disorder as soon as I finish up The Big Rock Candy Mountain from the March GR.

I started Alias Grace and so far I'm loving it - I mean I expected to because this is Atwood after all, but I have other things on the go and I already have that itch to just ditch them until I've devoured it!

I've got the penelopiad out the library for this. Looks like just about the shortest Atwood - hope that's not cheating too much! I've read the blind assassin and thought it was both an interesting story, told in an unusual way. Good to have the push to read another of hers.

#62
Who is the Goddess? The woman in Blind Assassin or Margaret Atwood? I seem to recall that the woman was a real looker.

I decided to join in on Atwood April. At the public library today, I checked out The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald for another group read, AND don't throw tomatoes at me. But, I chose Cat's Eye for my Margaret Atwood book because of the title. I know, I know, there will be no cats in it, but I couldn't help myself. I've read The Blind Assissin several years ago.

Cat's Eye is a good one. I hope you'll enjoy it!

(((cats)))

Can you believe I can not find Alias Grace on audio, anywhere? The one I did find on Audible was abridged, (WTH?) but it was read by Elizabeth McGovern, which would have been pretty cool. I think I will just snag a print copy from the library and see if I can bookhorn it in. I wish it were shorter. Boo hoo.

Benita- Atwood is definitely the Goddess!

Keep reading Blind Assassin and you may change your mind about who is the Goddess. It might become the woman in the book and not the author.

I've started The Year of the Flood and I'm loving it--I hate to put it down because I want to know what happens next! I'm especially glad to be reading this now, since I hear there is a third book in the series coming along.

Karen O.

There is, and I'm so excited for that too. I want to have my whole Atwood library read so that I don't have anything more hanging over my head when MaddAddam comes out.

ETA: I need some help. I'm more used to editing things on Shelfari, not here on LT. But there are two entries for MaddAddam here on LT, and I'm wondering if they should be combined. I have no clue how to do that. Can someone help a sista out?

I'm going to start Lady Oracle tomorrow. Looking forward to it. I hope everyone has a lovely evening.

>74 DorsVenabili:: I'm enjoying Lady Oracle, so I hope you do too!

#75 - Oh, good! It's one I haven't heard much about, but it also counts towards my Virago Modern Classics challenge, otherwise I probably would have gone with The Year of the Flood.

#73 - Esquiress - I'm not up on that, but when I notice it, I go to the Combiners group (although I know I have combined books myself in the past--last time I tried I couldn't remember how to do it). http://www.librarything.com/groups/combiners

------

And are the rest of you aware of the ATWOODIANS group? It's quiet over there right now, but we're always looking for fresh conversation, and it's a really good resource for Atwood questions. http://www.librarything.com/groups/atwoodians

Also, for anyone reading The Handmaid's Tale, I'd like to point out a website I recently discovered called Shmoop. I haven't looked at what they say about this book, but I've checked out two others, and I find them very good and often rather funny: http://www.shmoop.com/handmaids-tale/

I'll start my The Blind Assassin tomorrow.

ETA: I won't, because I can't find it in the TBR mountain. I'll have a new search party ;)

I just finished Morning in the Burned House, a book of poetry by Atwood. This is my second read of the book in recent months, but the poetry seemed as fresh and as brand-new to me as the first time I read it.

In the poem "Half-Hanged Mary" (my favorite then, and now), the concluding lines struck me as Atwood's statement of her writing:

The words boil out of me,
coil after coil of sinuous possibility.
The cosmos unravels from my mouth,
all fulness, all vacancy.

I'm loving this Atwood reading!

Karen O.

Karen: those lines are awesome.

I finished my first Atwood of the month yesterday, Lady Oracle (review here), and I'm reading Surfacing now. It's moving swiftly for me, and I'm quite liking it.

So glad to be reading Atwood's earlier works finally.

I finished and REVIEWED Atwood's powerful and compelling Alias Grace.

I just finished Alias Grace, too. It was my first Atwood. It won't be my last (although I won't be reading any more of her books this month).

"In their dreams they touch, they intertwine, it's more like a collision, and that is the end of flying. They fall to earth, fouled parachutists, botched and cindery angels, love streaming out behind them like torn silk. Enemy groundfire comes up to meet them."

“When you're unhinged, things make their way out of you that should be kept inside, and other things get in that ought to be shut out. The locks lose their powers. The guards go to sleep. The passwords fail.”

―The Blind Assassin

Karen- Thanks for sharing the segment of the poem. Good stuff.

Carrie- "I won't be reading any more of her books this month." What???

I don't like to read books by the same author too close together or I can get burned out on that author. Also, my reading list for this month and next is already full...

>81 brenzi:: Thumbs up on that review!

I thought I'd remind everyone of the discussion threads for the Alias Grace group read:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/151900 (spoilers)
http://www.librarything.com/topic/151856 (non-spoilers)

>85 Esquiress: Thanks Esquiress!

The National Book Festival folks released the list of authors they've signed up for this year's festival. Big names include Margaret Atwood, Marie Arana, Taylor Branch, Don DeLillo, Khaled Hosseini, Barbara Kingsolver, Brad Meltzer, Joyce Carol Oates, Katherine Paterson and U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey.

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/

I finished Surfacing yesterday (review here) and have moved on to Bodily Harm. I'm really enjoying working my way through Atwood's older novels that I hadn't gotten around to before.

I liked your review, Es, and thumbed it. If I have any thoughts on the ending when I get to the book, I'll share them with you, though I can be easily mystified by a clever author.

Just checking in... I'm somewhere close to mid-way through Blind Assassin after taking a short break for Gatsby.

I skipped Mark's review on his page just in case there were spoilers ;)

I really loved The Blind Assassin and I think it's overtaken The Handmaid's Tale for the top spot among my favorite Atwood reads. I really liked the way the story unfolded and the various layers and mystery that kept me guessing.

>90 Donna828:: Thanks, Donna; I'd love to hear your thoughts!

>91 TinaV95:: Good skip, Tina :) He wasn't as big a fan as some of the rest of us are!

>92 cameling:: The storytelling in The Blind Assassin really is superb.

I dived in to 'Oryx and Crake' as soon as it came in at the library, and I am enjoying it very much so far. I somehow managed to read the sequel 'Year of the Flood' last year (I think I got the impression from someone's thread that even though YotF was written second the events took place before OaC), but so far that hasn't stifled my enjoyment in any way. Thank goodness I never remember the details of what I read. :-)

Winding up my read of Year of the Flood and it's hard to pull myself away (especially for silly things like...work. ha!) I read Oryx and Crake not that long ago, but I went to wikipedia and refreshed my memory on the characters and plot since now the books are starting to overlap. Very cool!

Karen O.

Wow! So many people are reading Atwood on the threads. How cool is that? I'll start Alias Grace next week. everyone seems to love that one.

Jim- That is an incredible lineup! Have you been to this before? Dumb question, right?

Julia- I hope you enjoy Oryx and Crake. It doesn't sound like it would matter if you read them out of order. Let me know.

Karen- I plan on wrapping up AA, with the Year of the flood. Glad you are enjoying it. The last one comes out in early September.

Finally joining in as well, after wrapping up some other books. Just started on The Handmaid's Tale. However, nothing to say as yet.

I finished Lady Oracle last night. What a fascinating/intriguing/bewildering novel. I really enjoyed it but will have to ponder it a bit before I write anything about it.

I finished up Oryx and Crake yesterday, and I loved it. I'm now reading The Handmaid's Tale.

Mark - yep, we've gone for the last few years. My favorite so far was Candice Millard talking about Destiny of the Republic. We also have a DC area meetup sometime that weekend.

For anybody reading The Robber Bride, be sure to check out the sequel short story, I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth" published in the Walrus magazine last summer. Very satisfying.

http://store.walrusmagazine.com/collections/back-issues/products/2012-07-magazin...

I finished Year of the Flood and loved it. It engaged my brain and heart, and I was left wanting *more!* so I'm glad we have the third in the series to look forward to.

I've been so impressed by Atwood's variety of writing--nothing cookie-cutter about this lady. I'm reading Alias Grace now, and I hope to get to The Blind Assassin by the end of the month.

Karen O.

I picked up both Cat's Eyes and Alias Grace from the library. I know I can't/won't read both, so I chose Alias Grace and the other is going back to the library. I also have The Blind Assassin on hand.

I've just finished The Penelopiad. Penelope's tone is great, rather dry and cynical, while the maids as a chorus were rather a sorry little bunch. And I enjoyed the way Odysseus' adventures were told as reports of two kinds, one epic, the other somewhat sordid and usually involving prostitutes.

The blurb says this is part of a series of modern authors retelling myths, but doesn't give any titles. but that sounds like a really good read and I fancy trying to look some more of those out.

#104
The blurb is correct. A publisher in Great Britain commissioned famous writers to retell myths. I think there were going to be 8 in all but am not sure about that. I also think there was a collectors edition of them that was published at the same time by the same publisher.

>105 benitastrnad: - thanks. I'll see if I can't find any of the other titles.

~ 104 - 106 It is the Canongate Myth series http://www.librarything.com/series/The+Myths according to LT there are 17 books in the series so far.

Thanks for the link, Calm! I've read three of the others in the Canongate series (A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong, Dream Angus by Alexander McCall Smith, and Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A.S. Byatt), and I just requested The Penelopiad from my library.

I've really liked the ones that I've read. I'm feeling compelled now to work on the entire series.

Looking forward to reading The Penelopiad, Helenliz!

Karen O.

It looks like everyone is happy with their Maggie reads! I plan on starting Alias Grace later in the week.

Karen- I hope to close out the month with The Year of the Flood. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

>98 katiekrug:: Lady Oracle is a thinky book, isn't it? At least it doesn't have an effed-up ending like Surfacing. I liked the tie-ins that happened in Lady Oracle. It was cool.

Es - I like that - "thinky book". May have to steal it. Now I'm intrigued to know more about Surfacing... will have to look for that one! What do you mean about "tie-ins"? Like to her other works? Or how she brought the different story strands together?

>111 katiekrug:: Steal away! I verbally pilfer all the time :)

I meant the tie-ins within the story... like the Jordan Chapel people especially.

Oh, gotcha. Yes, it was very well done. Often, I find linkages and things like that seem forced, but not in Lady Oracle.

I like "thinky" too. Consider it stolen.

I've been lurking on this thread as a long time Atwood fan. It's fun to see some of you discover her work for the first time.

Thanks for calling my attention to "I Dream of Zenia with Bright Red Teeth"...found that there's a kindle edition for $1.99, so I'll have to indulge. The Robber Bride was one of my favorites...however, everyone of her books that I've read has been a favorite at a certain point in my life.

I haven't seen anyone mention The Edible Woman or Bluebeard's Egg

>115 tangledthread:: The Edible Woman is one of my favorites by her. I just love it.

Yah, I started Alias Grace. 50 pages in. Wow, another completely different writing style. I still plan on getting to one more Maggie before the end of the month.

Mark, I'm about halfway through Alias Grace, and I'm hooked. In this one there's so much history and sense of place (mid-19th century Canada). Grace is a very likable heroine!

Karen O.

I finished Alias Grace earlier today. I was surprised at how accessible her writing is, how interesting the story was, and how involved I got in the outcome. I actually didn't find Grace all that likeable, but kudos to Ms. Atwood for creating such a fully fleshed, realistic character.

Karen & Judy- I am about a 120 pages in AG. It's been very good. I really like the Dr. Jordan character.

I just finished The Blind Assassin tonight! Truly great storytelling for sure!

I'm also going to steal the "thinky book" phrase! :)

Just curious, Delta Queen - why were you surprised at how accessible Atwood's writing is?

I am loving Alias Grace. I think it just keeps getting better as it goes along. Why there is such mixed reaction to her work, is really puzzling to me. Her prose is strong and steady and her literary range is incredible.
Question for the faithful: My copy of AG is a worn hardback from the library. Someone wrote heavily in the book with a pencil. What would possess a person to write in a library book? Hey, if it's your personal copy, do whatever you want with it. Highlight it in blood or any other bodily fluid that you enjoy secreting but leave public property alone. That just bugs me.

I've just started Alias Grace myself, this morning--so far, I'm intrigued.

I'm currently working on both Life Before Man and In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination. I'd like to get to Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth before I read The Penelopiad, but... I'm running out of time!

I finished Alias Grace last night. I'd even taken my Nook to work so that I could read it on my lunch break yesterday. I found the character of Grace very compelling and very complex.

I've got The Blind Assassin on my reader, but my checkout ends in a few days, and it's a pretty lengthy book. I may resolve to just finish The Penelopiad this month. I'm glad to have all these other Atwood works on my radar now--I will definitely plan to catch myself up on her catalog.

Loving Atwood April!

Karen O.

the 'Monthly Author Reads' Group is focusing on Atwood for May
http://www.librarything.com/topic/152340

Cool beans! Thanks, ccookie, for the heads up!

Another Atwood month! Yah! This will probably do it for me this year but at least I have the option.

Es- I am so glad that you are enjoying Maggie's earlier work. I'll save that for AA 2014!

>129 msf59:: Oh, do read at least Lady Oracle before next year! Life Before Man is shaping up quite nicely as well.

I'm not sure if I'd do another entire month of Atwood, only because I have so many other things to read, and what happens if I do 75ers next year and run in to Atwood April again? I'd have nothing left to read!

OMG! We can't let that happen. LOL. Rereads, anyone?

#122 - Jen MDB, this was my first completed Margaret Atwood. I had, years ago, tried and failed to get through one of her books (I think it was Surfacing). I was so turned off by that book that I had developed quite an aversion to her writing, and my thinking was that she was just too literary for me. Now here I am twenty years later, and finding that Alias Grace was not only very readable, told an interesting story, held my attention throughout, and left me with a lot to mull over. Now I can look forward to trying some more of her books in the future.

123... Mark: I think those people are just A88holes... I can't imagine writing in a library book - even as a child! That's just rude! :)

Somehow I missed 123 before... Uh... Who in Hades writes in library books?!

>123 msf59: Could it be that someone donated their personal copy to the library's used book cache and one of the librarians pulled it out to put on the shelves?

For those reading Alias Grace, was it clear to you that she used actual historical events as the framework for the novel? If you ever get a chance to visit Kingston, Ontario do so. It's a lovely town with a lot to offer. Quite a lot of historical buildings, including the prison buildings. Some or which are still in use.

Who in Hades writes in library books?!

When I was at university, I always checked out the books with the most writing in them. You never knew when you'd find bits and pieces that could help with essays or studying.

^This is going to be the cover for Maggie's new one. Release date: September 3rd.

I plan on starting the Year of the Flood tomorrow. My last AA book. I am on the homestretch of Alias Grace. And yes, she still has Goddess status.

Tina- "I think those people are just A88holes". I couldn't agree with you more. Funny, I read many unmarked pages but now the pencil is back again. WTH!

I can't wait for MaddAddam to come out. I'm so on it! That's one I'll buy on or around the release date.

I finished, around 12:30am US EST, In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination. Review will be posted on my thread, probably some time today. It was fascinating!

Now to buckle down with Life Before Man.

Es, you are reading up an Atwood storm! I finished Surfacing and liked it pretty well until she got all woo-woo crazy on us. The best explanation I could think of was our unnamed narrator had gotten hold of some hallucinatory mushrooms!

My comments on Surfacing can be found here. And you can scroll up a few messages to see a picture of my new granddaughter, Molly Claire!

The best explanation I could think of was our unnamed narrator had gotten hold of some hallucinatory mushrooms!

That's an excellent explanation.

I agree with that, but I'm sure Atwood had some kind of deep, meaningful reason for it...

PS: Donna, your thoughts are very interesting.

I finished up Alias Grace and enjoyed it very much. I wasn't as bothered by the ending as others have been. I also jumped right into The Year of the Flood and I am immediately smitten. I know there are a few of you that do not care for Atwood's dystopian work but so far I love it.

For fans of the Year of the Flood: I get a kick out of the Adam One Hymns. On the audio, the hymns are actually sang. Are the lyrics just printed out in the book?

Yes, the lyrics are printed in the book. I believe there is a recording somewhere of Ms. Atwood herself singing one of the hymns...

#144 - I listened to the audio book too--aren't the hymns fabulous? You can buy the CD: http://www.amazon.ca/Hymns-Gods-Gardeners-Year-Flo/dp/B002OJGGJY/ref=sr_1_12?ie=...

Thanks Es & Joyce- That is such a hoot. There are 3 different narrators doing the audiobook and a man reads Adam One. Atwood is amazing.

She certainly is!

I have read 'Oryx and Crake' for the first time (loved it), and re-read 'Year of the Flood' (loved it even more than when I read it the first time, having the context of O&C). I'm still working on my reviews, but here's my not-very-well-composed contribution to this thread (I tried to take this picture last week but the weather was so rainy and gray that it looked terrible. At least today we got some sun.)



Atwood Avenue, east of Iowa City, Iowa, on the Muscatine County line.

I am still getting such a kick out of The Year of the Flood. St. Euell Gibbons Day?? How funny is that? Of course I remember Euell in the early '70s hawking GrapeNuts cereal. And then Atwood follows that sermon with another snappy hymn called "Holy Weeds" and then there's Mole Day! Maggie must have a blast writing this stuff! I know I am reading it.

Julia- I love that intersection!!

Oh! to the picture in #149 . . . about an hour east of me in a brand new development, there is an Atwood lane and Atwood Crescent. This IS Canada, so I'm thinking it's named after her . . . okay, just checked Google maps--there is also a Bill Reid Terrace (famous Canadian sculptor) and a Stephan Leacock Drive (another famous Canadian writer), so yes, definitely named after her. Funny the men get their names on the streets and she doesn't, but really, if it was MY address, I'd prefer just the surname, thanks.

Next time I'm out that way I'll drive up there and take a pic and post it to this thread. If you want to look it up on Google Earth, it's Atwood Crescent, Abbotsford, BC. Here's the link to the map: https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Hey, I lived in Iowa City for a year and I never saw that road. I love it.

I didn't know you lived in Iowa City at one time, Ellen! Atwood Avenue is a few miles east of Iowa City on Highway 6 (the south side of town, if you remember). You probably would never have had reason to go out that way. For me, living in a small town east of IC, it's my favorite "scenic" route home when the weather's nice and I've got some time to dawdle a bit.

Finished The Penelopiad and I thought it was very clever and involving. Atwood is such a creative writer!

I think this is my last Atwood for April (wah). I'm glad to have some further reads from all of you; I'm sure I'll be reading a lot more Atwood in my future.

Karen O.

153> rosalita, I lived there for only one year (1991-92) so the truth is that my memories are pretty foggy. I loved that town though.

I'm almost done with Alias Grace. It will be the only Atwood I read this month but this "event" has put her back on my radar and I'm most grateful for that. She is a wonderful writer!

I swear I'm going to get the less 100 or fewer pages of Life Before Man done before midnight tomorrow!

I finished Oryx and Crake today and I'm pleased with myself! I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it before May. I really liked the book! It was a pleasant surprise it was dealing with generics because I'm studying a related subject. Also I was inspired by Extinctathon to go back to an old ornithologic game I used to play: http://www.bavarianbirds.net/index_e.html. I'm definitely looking forward to reading other books by Atwood, probably from the MaddAddam trilogy.

Hi, Valari2! Congratulation on finishing Oryx and Crake. I had read that one before, and I read The Year of the Flood for Atwood April. That will be your next read if you keep on with MaddAddam, right?

I liked Oryx and Crake all right, but I enjoyed the second book much more for some reason. Maybe because I knew what was going on a little better.

Can't wait for the third book!

Karen O.

p.s. I've enjoyed Atwood April so much! Thanks to msf59 for getting it going!

klobrien2: I'm totally looking forward to The Year of the Flood now! Just have to finish a few more titles first.

I forget if I mentioned:

I finished both Life Before Man and The Penelopiad before midnight on April 30th!