Scan barcode
A review by toniclark
Burning Questions: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2021 by Margaret Atwood
5.0
This collection comprises a miscellany of 50 essays and speeches of varying length, written over the past 17 years. Atwood has always had an impish look about her and she has a matching sense of humor — which she deploys alongside her prodigious intellect to discuss books and authors, the craft of writing, growing up, coming of age, life with her husband, gender issues, the environment, global warming, the erosion of democracy, and the pandemic. And so much more!
As I recently heard it said, think of any pressing contemporary issue and Atwood was writing about it 10 years ago. She’s amazingly insightful and incisive, but also casual and conversational in tone. Listening to the audio felt like listening to a really brainy friend. I know I’ll return to this collection over and over.
The only drawback of the audio is that most of it is not narrated by Atwood, herself. And, since I’ve heard her speak many times (in person, in interviews, etc.), I’d much rather listen to her than to the wide range of speakers who read these essays. Most of them do it well enough, though I found I couldn’t listen to a couple of them. I will no doubt pick up a digital or hard copy of this wonderful collection to read at leisure with time to savor and dwell on favorite pieces and passages.
Among the burning questions addressed here is that of whether Atwood is still alive. Answer: yes.
As I recently heard it said, think of any pressing contemporary issue and Atwood was writing about it 10 years ago. She’s amazingly insightful and incisive, but also casual and conversational in tone. Listening to the audio felt like listening to a really brainy friend. I know I’ll return to this collection over and over.
The only drawback of the audio is that most of it is not narrated by Atwood, herself. And, since I’ve heard her speak many times (in person, in interviews, etc.), I’d much rather listen to her than to the wide range of speakers who read these essays. Most of them do it well enough, though I found I couldn’t listen to a couple of them. I will no doubt pick up a digital or hard copy of this wonderful collection to read at leisure with time to savor and dwell on favorite pieces and passages.
Among the burning questions addressed here is that of whether Atwood is still alive. Answer: yes.