Margaret Atwood: Conversations

by Earl G. Ingersoll (Editor)

Interviews with Atwood by other writers, including Graeme Gibson, Joyce Carol Oates, Geoff Hancock. This gathering of 21 interviews with Margaret Atwood covers a broad spectrum of topics. Beginning with Graeme Gibson's "Dissecting the Way a Writer Works" (1972), the conversations provide a forum for Atwood to talk about her own work, her career as a writer, feminism, and Canadian cultural nationalism, and to refute the autobiographical fallacy. These conversations offer what Earl Ingersoll calls "a kind of 'biography' of Margaret Atwood—the only kind of biography she is likely to sanction." Enlivened by Atwood's unfailing sense of humor, the interviews present an invaluable view of a distinguished contemporary writer at work.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing

272 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1990

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Margaret Atwood is one of my favorite authors, so I was able to slog through this rather monotonous collection of interviews. Unfortunately, the interviews all center around the same themes - the dearth of a Canadian literary culture (when Atwood begins writing), whether or not Atwood considers herself a feminist, the difference between writing prose and poetry, etc. There are all interesting topics, but I felt that almost every interview touched upon them.

[gorecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the questions in these interviews were repeated a bit to often and were sometimes a bit boring, but then reading Atwood's answers, being in her company, is priceless and well worth bearing the repetitions.

[Anne Earney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last of the books I started in 2017, finished! This had been on my shelves for years and I finally picked it up shortly before seeing Margaret Atwood speak at SLU. Before seeing her, the interviews were mildly interesting, and brought back faint memories of her early novels, which I'd read during my college years. After seeing her interviewed live, on stage, and coming back to these interviews with a sense of her voice, personality, and amazing sense of humor, I derived much more enjoyment from my reading. I love Atwood's opinions on writing, feminism and literature. That being said, it is a book of interviews with one person, and though they cover a couple of decades, Atwood doesn't seem to have changed much and the interviews cover such similar territory, this book would only appeal to someone who loves her books or is studying Canadian literature. So very good for what it is, but still just a book of interviews. If you can find a video of an interview with Margaret Atwood, watch that instead.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could listen to this woman talk about literally anything.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I loved having some additional insights into Atwood’s mind!

[Ella Hachee]

I’m sure everyone asking her the same three questions irritated Atwood, but as someone looking for a good quote to put in my essay, I appreciated having many “sound bites” to choose from.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting!

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO MANY THINGS.