The first book by Margaret Atwood that I ever read was The Edible Woman in the early 70’s shortly after it was first published, and I loved it. It was set in Toronto with plenty of recognizable locations and experiences I could identify with. Her main character, Marian McAlpin, worked for Seymour Surveys at a joe-job that wasn’t that different from my own job at Ma Bell back then. I could relate to her co-workers, their petty annoyances, and her existential struggles. Atwood’s dry sense of humour and sensitive observations of human behaviour were exceptional, which is why I became an immediate fan.

A few years later, I read The Handmaid’s Tale and found myself thinking, “What on earth was she smoking?” While the writing was excellent and the story compelling, it was most definitely not to my taste. I’ve never been a fan of dystopian plots, settings, and characters. Bottom line: I have not enjoyed everything written by Margaret Atwood, which is tantamount to being un-Canadian. Who was to know that the book would become so prophetic? Fortunately, my loyalty bounced back when I read Alias Grace a few years later.

When Atwood published her long-awaited memoir this year, I was somewhat ambivalent about reading it. Would it be too “literary” for my common tastes, too esoteric, or too weird to understand? She certainly covers all genres with equal dexterity. To my great joy, Margaret Atwood, Book of Lives, A Memoir of Sorts was an absolute delight to read. I loved every single page. Fortunately, I purchased the Kindle version of the book from Amazon rather than waiting on a long list at the library, so I was able to keep my own copy with dozens of bookmarked and highlighted pages for future reference.

Even though she is eight years older than I am, so many of her experiences are familiar to baby boomers. Because her father was an entomologist and her mother an adventurer, much of her childhood was spent roughing it in the bush in northern Ontario and Quebec. The family of four, which included her older brother Harold, was joined by a younger sister, Ruth, when Margaret was about twelve years old. Their summers were spent in remote wooden cabins, often without electricity or running water, while her father conducted his nature-loving experiments and observations for the University of Toronto.

Out of necessity and a with gift for creativity, she learned to sew, invent games, and pretty much ran feral much of the time. As Atwood’s family shuttled between winter life in the city and summers in the bush, she cultivated new friendships, interests, and experienced all the normal growing pains associated with life as a young girl in the fifties and sixties.

Fortunately, she was an above-average student with an outsized imagination who was destined to attend and excel in university. As the daughter of a University of Toronto professor and the winner of a modest scholarship, she was accepted for admission to Victoria College to study Victorian literature. She eventually qualified for Harvard, adding further life experiences and academic credentials. Despite her rather conservative study subjects, she was fully into the bohemian, avant-garde lifestyle. Boomers will totally get the many memorable touchpoints and references.

Her first and early marriage in 1968 to American Jim Polk was one of convenience for both of them for various reasons. It lasted five years, before finally divorcing in 1973. Her subsequent relationship with lifelong partner Graeme Gibson fueled personal and professional growth, and produced a cherished daughter, Jess. Gibson’s death in 2019 from complications related to dementia and a series of strokes was devastating for Atwood.

There are so many rich layers to the woman who is Margaret Atwood, beyond being a world-famous writer. She was an ardent farmer, gardener, seamstress, performer, and a loyal friend. Her interest in palm-reading and tarot cards prompted me to order a set of tarot cards from Amazon and start my own journey into learning something new.

The richness and productivity of her relationship with Graeme Gibson, their respective careers, their philanthropic work, and their academic and personal interests were intense and enduring. I will not go into detail here as I don’t want to diminish any of the delight you will experience reading this book. It was even better than I expected, and so nourishing to read. I savoured every single page. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

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