I’m kicking off November by joining Margaret Atwood Reading Month! This event is hosted by Naomi at Consumed by Ink and Marcie at BuriedInPrint and inspired by their love of reading anything by Margaret Atwood through the years. I’ve enjoyed several of Atwood’s novels so thank you in advance to our hostesses for this event!
So here’s the deal, from November 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018 you are invited to join in on the celebration. All you have to do is read one thing by Margaret Atwood or one hundred things (well, poems add up). Something. Anything. Printed page or audiobook: whatever tickles your fancy. You can read all the details by going to Consumed by Ink or Buried in Print.
This being the first week, it’s all about Beginnings, Your First Margaret Atwood.
I discovered Margaret Atwood sometime in the early 1990s. I’m pretty sure I happened across The Handmaid’s Tale as I was browsing the shelves at Book Stop or Waldenbooks. Remember those bookstore chains? I don’t have my original copy which is surprising but I must have passed it on to someone else.
The copy I now have I bought later on when I re-read the book for a book group discussion. I looked through my reading journal and I have a short note talking about what a great read this was. Looks like I read it December 1998 and it’s actually one of the few books I’ve re-read.
I can remember when I first read The Handmaid’s Tale how surprised and uncomfortable the book made me feel. I’d never read any fiction that had a dystopian setting and the notion that women were being used like this was appalling. I can see why this book has become a modern classic.
Since reading that novel, I have read a few others and still have more on my To Be Read shelf. I’ll tell you more about those in another post. What’s your experience been like with her novels and are you participating in Margaret Atwood Reading Month?
Good luck with this event, Iliana! The only Atwood book I’ve read is ALIAS GRACE and that was a number of years ago. I’ve been meaning to try another. I’ll have a post up next week, but I’m joining the Canadian Book Reading Challenge and a book by this author would certainly quality. I’ll think on it.
Still haven’t read this book. I keep meaning to, but….
I’ve only read a few Atwood books, but, boy I do like the way she draws you in. The Handmaid’s Tale was excellent IMO.
The Handmaid’s Tale was such a startling read when it was new, wasn’t it? And, yet, it remains just as startling. What a feat! So thrilled you are keen and reading along with us, Iliana. I’m curious to see what’s on your TBR, what Atwood(s) you’re planning to pick up this month!
My first Atwood was Blind Assassin, which I really liked, but found to be a challenging read. I loved The Handmaid’s Tale, which I read for the first time last year. I want to read more by her.
It’s wonderful to have you join us, Iliana!
The Handmaid’s Tale is such a great book. It sounds like you started getting into her books about the same time I did. I hope you enjoy your next one just as much as the others!
I think I’ve only read two or three Atwood books to date and The Handmaid’s Tale remains my favourite. I wanted to read Blind Assassin at some point but I was intimidated by the length of it. Hopefully one day I’ll pick it up again.
I kept reading her dystopian fiction. If it isn’t dystopian, I don’t like it. I remember that you liked her regular fiction better.