Of course it started with a conversation. We were chatting about Margaret Atwood’s books – the ones we haven’t read yet and the ones we want to reread – and it quickly became clear that we could spend a year at this. Why not start with a month? So, here is Margaret Atwood Reading Month: November 2018.
Margaret Atwood Reading Month is hosted by Naomi at Consumed by Ink and Marcie at BuriedInPrint and inspired by decades of reading Margaret Atwood’s words: journalism and fiction, poetry and comics.
From November 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018 we’ll be reading Margaret Atwood, and we invite you to join. (On the 18th, Margaret Atwood celebrates her birthday and quietly we’ll be celebrating along with her, by reading her work. That also might be an excellent reason for cake!)
Want to join in the celebration? It’s easy. Just read one thing by Margaret Atwood or one hundred things (well, poems add up). Something. Anything. Printed page or audiobook: whatever tickles your fancy.
Post about it where you love to bookchat and then leave your link to that post in a comment below – here or on Naomi’s site. Either on this page or, as the month unfolds, on one of the event posts yet-to-come. We will curate the content and share at the end of the event.
Looking for more structure? We’re also planning weekly posts on our own sites according to the following themes.
Feel free to join in, either by commenting or creating your own contributions, on:
Week One: November 1, 2018
Beginnings
Your first Margaret Atwood
Week Two: November 8, 2018
Covers
Remarkable cover images
Week Three: November 15, 2018
Favourites
The ones you love or admire most
Week Four: November 22, 2018
Quotations
“A word after a word after a word is power.” etc.
Week Five: November 29, 2018
Endings
What’s next: another book? a TV adaptation? a speech?
We first discovered Margaret Atwood through her writing, so we do want to make that the core of our reading month celebration. But there are so many platforms for her work now: videos, mini-series, TV series, films, theatre, podcasts, choral works. So once you’ve read something, if you’re inspired to watch/listen/attend something: feel free to share those experiences as well.
Looking for inspiration?
Here is a complete bibliography on the author’s own site
Our previous posts on Margaret Atwood: Alias Grace(M); Alias Grace (N); The Circle Game (M); The Door (M); Hag-Seed (M); The Handmaid’s Tale (M); The Heart Goes Last (M); The Heart Goes Last (N); Maddaddam (M); Moral Disorder (N); Negotiating with the Dead (M); Oryx and Crake (M); The Penelopiad (M); Stone Mattress (M); Stone Mattress (N); and The Year of the Flood (M).
Here is the Wikipedia page for Margaret Atwood
So if you’ve never read one of her books and are looking for a comfortable nook to try? Here’s an opportunity. And if you’ve read them all and are looking for a reason to reread? This could be it. Or if you’re curious about something of hers you’ve never tried (maybe her essays or children’s books)? Why not now.
We’ve got some ideas (of course we do – that’s what started all this in the first place, too many ideas about reading and rereading) but we’re waiting to see how interested you are, and what you’re most interested in reading before we announce what specifically we’ll be reading and discussing for #MARM
Hope you’ll join! But, if not, we’ll just be over here, reading (and having cake) and reading some more.
PS If you would like to use a badge to join in the celebration, there are three sizes below.
[…] the Margaret Atwood Reading Month hosted by Marcie and Naomi, I read her first two novels – though I didn’t realize they were so at the time, and […]
[…] help but be tempted by the concept of November being Margaret Atwood Reading Month (hosted by Buried in Print and Consumed by Ink). I love Atwood’s books, and so it was a no brainer that I’d try to […]
[…] 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 […]
[…] (1972), which will be my first of two reads for the Margaret Atwood Reading Month hosted by Marcie and Naomi. I also own a copy of The Edible Woman (1969) and look forward to trying both of these […]
I may be able to participate. I’ve only read Handmaid’s Tale, but I have been wanting to read Oryx and Crake (I have the whole trilogy, but would be unable to finish them all in one month, as I have a lot of other stuff going on. I’ll try to spread the word of this event, though!
It would be nice if you are able to join in, but, either way, I recommend O&C (the second book is my favourite, but I enjoy the first and third as part of the trilogy). If you do read in November, you will probably have some company with that one: it seems to be a popular choice (perhaps with the series in production?). I like the motif for your blog: I love bears too. Nice to “meet” you!
Cool–I didn’t realize this was something you were organizing! I’m up for cake, too. I think I am going to read The Edible Woman–I hope it is one I have on my shelf–will be checking tonight–November is almost here…..
With Naomi – she’s in charge of cake, actually, so if you are going to pick one of us to cozy up to, I recommend her! That’s a good one; I think you’ll enjoy it. And I can’t believe it’s almost November. Time to think about 2019’s reading if I know you at all!
You come up with the “bestest” ideas! Count me in! <3
Yay!! Still deciding what to read? You know she has a graphic novel now too?
I love this idea. I want to participate in a small way, nothing too formal or structured. I’ve been wanting to reread her first novel, The Edible Woman. It’s been years since I’ve read it. And it’s not very long so it would be easily manageable. And I also want to eat cake on the 18th! 🙂
All the cake-positive comments are encouraging: we are prepared to borrow additional plates from the neighbours to accommodate all the celebrants! And by all means: as much or as little structure as you like. The Edible Woman is one that I’ve reread and I remember it being a (relatively) light and quick-moving reread.
Really excited about this! I’ve loved several of her books and my one regret was that she was here in my town several years ago during our annual book festival and I got to the event late and missed being admitted in. Would have loved to hear her speak about her writing. Anyway, looking forward to this!
How disappointing! Do you remember what book she was promoting at the time? Maybe you can still read it for November as a way of “making up”! I’m lucky to live in the same city, so I’ve been able to see her at gatherings both large and small, but I’m sure there are lots of American authors you’ve been able to see more often than I. Looking forward to chatting Atwood with you in November!
As I commented on Naomi’s blog, I’m sure this will be a very popular event. The recent TV adaptations of The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace certainly seem to have sparked an additional wave of interest in her her work.
And I believe Oryx and Crake is coming soon too? The adaptation of “Alias Grace” is something I’m enjoying currently; I’m a fan of Sarah Polley’s as well (director, screenwriter) and keen to see what it’s like (with MA as supervising producer too, of course). I’ve been “saving” it and am still trying to ration the episodes!
This is a great idea and I’ll definitely try to take part. So far I’ve only read The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace, so I have plenty of her books to choose from!
Oh, yes, loads of choices! Do you have any titles in mind as possibilities, or do you need to do some exploring first?
I was thinking about The Blind Assassin, but could be tempted by a different one.
That’s another favourite of mine. And one I’ve been talking about rereading as well. Yes, so many temptations!
I’m in! I’m going to try and read some of her short fiction!
I’m always happy to hear that someone is reading short stories! Are you eyeing a particular collection? I know I’ll be reading at least one story for the month, but maybe more! (Also, welcome: nice to “see” you here!)
I commented on Naomi’s post about this too, but I love this idea!!! Good on ya ladies, I’ll be following along for sure.
Thanks, Anne. Don’t forget that she has some children’s books too! (winks, commiserating with size of book stacks this time of year)
Oh wow what a wonderful idea. I love Margaret Atwood so would love to join in. Not sure if I will have chance because of ACOB. I need to check. I might be able to join in, in a small way.
It’s nice that she has short stories and poems in the mix too, so that one doesn’t necessarily have to commit to something full-length. I can’t remember: did you end up finishing the Oryx & Crake trilogy? I remember your reading of the first and second, but I can’t think whether you made it to the third yet?
Not read number 3 yet, don’t even have it yet.
It’s lucky you don’t have to wait for her to write it, at least. She took just long enough for me to need to reread the first two before Maddaddam (well, I wanted to anyhow)!
Ooooh, that’s tempting! I love Atwood and don’t read her enough. I will try…. 😉
Do you have some on her shelves that you’ve been thinking about reading?