Meet the remarkable MARGARET ATWOOD and chat about her award-winning novels, including THE HEART GOES LAST, in November's Bookclub, Wednesday 4 November, 9-10pm

[TillyMumsnetBookClub]

Over her exceptional career, spanning forty books and almost fifty years, Margaret Atwood has returned to themes of totalitarianism, environmental destruction, sexual politics and economic failure. She always takes on these monsters with a piercing intelligence, and a wit that makes the pages sing. Her latest novel, The Heart Goes Last, is set in a future world that is ruined, lawless and based on greed. Stan and Charmaine used to have a fairly regular life, but now they are forced to live in their car, existing on scraps and cheap doughnuts. When they see an advert for the Positron Project, offering a job and a home, they desperately sign up, despite a gut feeling that this might not be the paradise that is promised. Still, all they have to do is give up their freedom once a month and spend a bit of time in a prison cell. How bad can that be? The plot becomes increasingly circus-like, involving Elvis sex-bots, eugenics, mind-control and some strange knitted teddies, but the remarkable truth is that it all seems entirely possible.

Margaret Atwood has written volumes of poetry, children’s literature, fiction, and non-fiction and is known across the globe for her novels, which include The Edible Woman (1970), The Handmaid's Tale (1983), The Robber Bride (1994), Alias Grace (1996), and The Blind Assassin (2000) and the MaddAddam trilogy. Find out more at our book of the month page.

You'll also find a huge range of reviews, videos and information on Atwood's excellent website or follow her very active Twitter feed.

Bloomsbury have 50 hardbacks of The Heart Goes Last to give to Mumsnetters: to claim your copy please fill in your details on the book of the month page. We’ll post on the thread when all the copies have gone. If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of those, you can always get a Kindle version here or hardback here.

We are honoured and delighted that Margaret Atwood will be joining us on 4th November 9-10pm to discuss The Heart Goes Last, her many award-winning works and her writing life. Please feel free to discuss the book here throughout the month and then come and meet Margaret on the night, ask her a question or simply tell her what you think of her books. Look forward to seeing you there!

@ktlq

Thanks for answering! I am still intrigued about your views of Marilyn. Did you love her too or did you find her to be a weak person? (I mean as an icon in popular culture). Or is that the point?

Hello: I loooved Marilyn. She was a very smart comedienne. Her death was a tragedy.

@SerenaJoy

I don't have a question, I'm just lurking, in quiet awe. My lovely high school English teacher recommended The Handmaid's Tale to me and I have been a huge fan of yours ever since. I've not read The Heart Goes Last Yet, but I'm hoping to find if in my Christmas stocking

Thanks!

Thanks for answering Margaret. As a newly Canadian Brit living in Canada, it is a thrill to be addressed by Canadian Royalty.

I'll have to go and research mushrooms now.

Carnivalesque - a welcome addition to my critical lexicon, thank you

Hi Margaret
You are my favourite author, and I've only just seen that you were here. So I just wanted to say thank you for your brilliant books, and I look forward to reading The Heart Goes Last.

We can't expect perfect behaviour from characters in books. Just plausible behaviour.

I love this!

Really enjoying book.. Thanks. I was very taken with the ideas. I also liked the Year of the flood

@PirateSmile

Hello Margaret,

I would like to ask you about your views on how women are subjected to endless pressure about their looks. I think that the obsession with appearance and the resulting lack of self-esteem women suffer because of their failure to match so-called ideals of beauty is of epidemic proportions especially amongst younger women. I despair at the time wasted because of this. I was recently in Africa and a few days into my time there I started to feel that something was felt different to home. Then I realised it was the absence of images of 'beauty' and how freeing that felt.

I'd be very interested in your thoughts on this.

The very best of luck with the new book. I have really enjoyed reading your books in the past and I'm sure that I'll love this one too.

Hello: I think it's really been a problem since the wide availability of mirrors and also the deployment of fashion photography. No one no one! actually looks like that. It's created illusion. The best thing one can do is to find out what suits you - You, not somebody else-- and stick with it. The young experiment, of course. I did some fairly hideous things in my youth that did not suit me at all. But now I;ve discovered Black With A Scarf, and I'm sticking to it.

@Pompatrol

Hi Margaret You are my favourite author, and I've only just seen that you were here. So I just wanted to say thank you for your brilliant books, and I look forward to reading The Heart Goes Last.

Thank you!

Thanks a million. It certainly is plausible (feministy sniff).

Umm, the more I think about couples now, the more I'm obsessed with men. I mean, women are more interesting to me because I know them better, but what really fascinates me now is how men have reacted to having equal partners ie washing up and childcare. It's a huge sea change. Some men react by taking huge advantage - ie letting their girl do everything and earn everything - but it's the ok men, who try and lead the vanguard of decency, that I want to understand.

And they don't have a voice right now. Which is an odd thing, for a man.

You wouldn't want to write about that would you?

Agreed!

@CactusAnnie

Hello Ms Atwood! I have been a huge fan for many many years - I first read Cat's Eye as a child when I was going through some similar experiences, then read The Handmaid's Tale and have never stopped reading your books since.

First I just wanted to say thank you for giving me and so many others so many hours of reading pleasure and mental stimulation.

Second, I was wondering if you based Xenia (Robber Bride) on anyone in particular - and do you still know her now?

Finally, it's pretty unusual for a woman, particularly of your generation, to write science-fiction (or speculative fiction if you prefer) and to also be accepted as a 'serious' literary figure. What sort of responses have you encountered from each 'side' - the literary establishment, and sci-fi fans? Do you find that each of your books brings out a particular type of 'fan', or is it fairly constant from book to book?

I could send a million questions but will leave it there!

Thank you

Hello: That's a lot of Q ... First, thank you.

Second: Xenia. Stories in newspapers about imposters, a challenge from a friend who said there were no female con-artists Wrong! -- and several personal stories and stories I heard. Plus the traditional Femme Fatale, of course. Lots of those to choose from?

Sci Fi, Spec Fic: See "In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination," in which I go on at tedious length. I did get yelled at a bit by SciFi purists,
who think you have to be a specialist or something, but that's their problem.
I like to read good books and I don't pay much attention to genre barriers,
which were erected anyway sometime in the mid 20th Century -- not before.

Read what you like. Write what you like. It will all sort out eventually.

Thank you very much for your answer Margaret.

Up in the tree is my favourite book.

@Flakita

Hi Ms Atwood! I am loving The Heart Goes last but must admit to only being half-way through as I had another (much lesser) book to finish first. What are you reading at the moment? Which book have you most enjoyed in the last year? I have read most of your other books and will gush about them to anyone who'll listen (and those who won't as well, just in case). Keep writing!

Thanks! I'm on book tour, so reading on the fly and in airports etc. I'm about to start Gloria Steinem's memoir, and Orhan Pamuk's latest, A Strangeness in My Mind.

Am I being unreasonable to think Charmaine is a villain who doesn't even realise it?

I WISH we had more time but our hour is up…

Thank you, everyone, for making this such a special evening. It has been a true pleasure to spend time reading everyone’s memories/reviews/reactions to their Atwood novels.

Most of all, thank you Margaret - as you have probably noticed, you have truly made our night and possibly our year as well. It has been fascinating to have your voice here this evening. Thank you so much for your time and energy and generosity. Please come back again, and meanwhile, I’m looking forward to the Hogarth Shakespeare project and cannot wait to see what you do with The Tempest (Penelopiad is one of my all time favourites, I read it on Ithaca and felt the centuries disappear).

Much luck with all the future projects and please come back again to tell us about them.

@Devora

You're really spoiling us lately with the webchats, MN.

Love love love Margaret Atwood. Here's my question:

I think everyone knows you as an adult writer, but not so much for your fantastic books for children. My daughter, now 10, used to be obsessed by Up In The Tree. Am I right in thinking you did the woodcuts yourself? How was the experience of writing for children, and are you thinking of doing more?

Hello: Thanks. Yes, I did the illustrations and all of the lettering, because it was cheaper... I did do a few more (Princess Prunella and the Purple Peanut, etc. but didn't illustrate them.

Yy ItchyArmpits I think you are right. She certainly is a realistic character as well, having met similar people in real life.

Thank you so much for this evening, I have really enjoyed reading all the questions and fabulous responses

Absolute privilege to be a part of this - thank you Margaret for all your answers!

Thanks for replying! I'll add them to my list!

What a brilliant webchat - I've loved reading everyone's questions and Margaret's answers. Thank you Margaret and well done MN!

Thanks Margaret. I now have some great book list ideas starting with The Magic Toyshop. Thanks Mumsnet and everyone.

Yes, thanks for being with us tonight and for all your replies.