Synopses & Reviews
One of the world’s most celebrated authors, Margaret Atwood has penned a collection of smart and entertaining fictional essays, in the genre of her popular books
Good Bones and
Murder in the Dark, punctuated with wonderful illustrations by the author. Chilling and witty, prescient and personal, delectable and tart, these highly imaginative, vintage Atwoodian mini-fictions speak on a broad range of subjects, reflecting the times we live in with deadly accuracy and knife-edge precision.
In pieces ranging in length from a mere paragraph to several pages, Atwood gives a sly pep talk to the ambitious young; writes about the disconcerting experience of looking at old photos of ourselves; gives us Horatio's real views on Hamlet; and examines the boons and banes of orphanhood. “Bring Back Mom: An Invocation” explores what life was really like for the “perfect” homemakers of days gone by, and in “The Animals Reject Their Names,” she runs history backward, with surprising results.
Chilling and witty, prescient and personal, delectable and tart, The Tent is vintage Atwood. Enhanced by the author’s delightful drawings, it is perfect for Valentine’s Day, and any other occasion that demands a special, out-of-the-ordinary gift.
Review
"To dip into its pages is like dipping into a box of assorted candies....More often, they're tart, pungent, spicy, occasionally bittersweet, tasting of strong herbs or laced with spirits that deliver a heady punch." Los Angeles Times
Review
"This slender yet engaging collection....Much of the territory covered here is vintage Atwood, but there are enough twists and fresh takes in these acerbic musings to keep longtime readers interested and, perhaps, to hook those for whom Atwood is unfamiliar." San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"The book includes jabs at popular concepts of God, leadership, the good old days....But most of these pieces are intensely personal, with the author examining her own motives and operations." Portland Oregonian
About the Author
MARGARET ATWOODs books have been published in more than thirty-five countries. Her novels The Handmaids Tale and Cats Eye were shortlisted for the Booker Prize; The Blind Assassin was awarded the Booker Prize in 2000; Alias Grace won the Giller Prize in Canada and the Premio Mondello in Italy; her most recent novel, Oryx and Crak,e was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and the Orange Prize. Atwood was the 2005 recipient of the Edinburgh International Book Festival Enlightenment Award, a unique accolade to mark a distinguished contribution to world literature and thought. She lives in Toronto with writer Graeme Gibson.