Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood is a revered Canadian author with over 50 works of fiction, poetry, non-fiction and children’s literature to her name. Her writing has been published in over 40 languages and she has won the prestigious Booker Prize, the Governor General’s Award, and The Giller Prize.

Born in 1939 in Ottawa, Atwood grew up in Northern Ontario and Quebec immersed, alongside her entomologist father, in the Canadian wilderness – a powerful theme in her subsequent writing. Studying under Northrop Frye and Jay McPherson at the University of Toronto, Atwood was also deeply influenced by her mentors’ interests in myth and archetype. Her own work has consistently explored the political aspects of being human, including the role of women, environmental destruction, and the complexities of social structures. Her work, both fiction and non-fiction, also frequently examines questions of Canadian identity.

Atwood is a committed environmental activist and has worked with Amnesty International for many years. She has been chair of the Writers Union of Canada, President of PEN Canada and vice-president of PEN International.