Book of Lives

A Memoir of Sorts

De: Margaret Atwood

Narrado por: Margaret Atwood

How does one of the greatest storytellers of our time write her own life? The long-awaited memoir from the author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments, one of our most lauded and influential cultural figures.

‘Every writer is at least two beings: the one who lives, and the one who writes. Though everything written must have passed through their minds, or mind, they are not the same.’

Raised by ruggedly independent, scientifically minded parents – entomologist father, dietician mother – Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forest of northern Quebec. This childhood was unfettered and nomadic, sometimes isolated (on her eighth birthday: 'It sounds forlorn. It was forlorn. It gets more forlorn.’), but also thrilling and beautiful.

From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking seminal moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel year that spawned Cat’s Eye to the Orwellian 1980s Berlin where she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages bursting with bohemian gatherings, her magical life with the wildly charismatic writer Graeme Gibson and major political turning points, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood actors and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel.

As we travel with her along the course of her life, more and more is revealed about her writing, the connections between real life and art – and the workings of one of our greatest imaginations.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing images and drawings from the book.

Reseñas de la Crítica

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE WASHINGTON POST, THE CHIGACO TRIBUNE, TIME MAGAZINE, PEOPLE, NEW YORK MAGAZINE, GOODREADS, LITHUB, AND MORE

“The most spectacular, hilarious, and generous autobiography of the last quarter century–or ever.”
—Leigh Haber, The Boston Globe

“Atwood's long-awaited memoir covers her arc to becoming one of the leading voices of modern literature.”
—New York Magazine

“Charming, interesting and witty . . . Packed with dishy tales . . . Scintillating portraits of major and minor characters are one of Atwood’s specialties.”
—Marion Winik, The Minnesota Star Tribune

“Luminous prose, a palpable lust for life, and an invaluable glimpse into the mind of a literary giant make this a must-read.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Engaging, wise, and marvelously witty—illuminating both the craft of writing and the art of living.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Virtuoso, protean, forthright, and astute . . . Atwood is one of the world’s most significant writers and her capacious memoir deeply illuminates her life and work. . . . Encompassing, surprising, and entertaining . . . Electric with portraits of family, friends, beaux, and foes . . . A keystone source for biographers and scholars while delighting and enlightening readers curious about [her] life.”
—Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)

Truly a book of lives

As reader you get to experience decades of her and other lives and it helps to place Atwood in her times, her stories and the lives of others. I feel like I learned a lot about real life events as well as the fabric of her stories.

What an incredible lady!

A life well lived and a book well written! She is an encouragement all people of advanced age to continue living and enjoying life.

Great story, well told from a fantastic writer!

I'm so glad Atwood narrated this herself. Her dry, often black, humor had me laughing out loud more in this one book than the 300 I've read this year combined.

I've been reading Atwood since the 1980s and even saw her speak about 15 years ago at UNM, so I'm a fan. But I'm someone who reads tons of memoirs and bios from people I've never even heard of so don't let the fact that you're unfamiliar with her writing stop you.

It was all interesting, but I found her early life particularly fascinating--quite an unusual girlhood.

Atwood up close & personal

The early years were a lot, but important to the total of the narrative. I did skip a few childhood chapters, not bc they were lacking, but bc they brought back vivid, rural memories during a difficult period in my life that I'd rather not remember in technicolor.

Margaret's adult life was the most interesting to me. I enjoyed this book a lot. I listened to it over several days. I even listened to & liked the comments during her acknowledgements. I liked that she read the memoir herself. She seemed to gain vocal strength as the college years rolled in, and kept on gaining.

The acknowledgements were huge. How could one person create this large a body of work in one lifetime? And she's not through, although she did say a goodbye of sorts.

I'm really enjoying this!

I'm about halfway through. It's been a wonderful surprise as to how enjoyable and interesting it is. Margaret Atwood is funny, wise, has numerous interesting stories about her life. I'm so glad I bought this as an audiobook - her reading is superb. This book really took me by surprise, I didn't expect to enjoy it so thoroughly. I highly recommend it to others.

I Really Tried

I saw this book preview on CBS Sunday morning. Really wanted to like it. But it started off so slow and lack of energy, I gave it 42 minutes and bailed out. I just couldn’t do it.
If you like the artist more than I do, you might like it.