During these trying days of social isolation, I will be passing on recommendations on good films and shows to stream.
I've loved Margaret Atwood for what feels like forever, and it has little to do with The Handmaid's Tale.
So I was thrilled to find a comprehensive, highly entertaining documentary about the author newly dropped on Hulu. Margaret Atwood: A Word After a Word After a Word is Power has an unwieldy title, but an efficient and engrossing approach to its subject. There's a long, late section devoted to the worldwide popularity (and multiple stage and screen versions) of The Handmaid's Tale, of course. (This is a Hulu documentary, after all.) But more importantly, it delivers a fascinating and full-bodied portrait of an exceptional woman - warm, loving, uncompromising, sharp-eyed, good-humored and insatiably curious all at once. And it's a welcome reminder that, long before she created the tale of Offred and the handmaids, Atwood was a potent force for feminism in literature.
The highlights of this film are a recurring series of interview clips with Atwood over the years where she reliably shuts down condescending questions (mostly from men, but not exclusively) about the harshness of her work or the unlikability of some of her characters. She is soft-spoken and blunt in the same moment - always cutting through the bullshit, but in a seemingly patient and nice way. She steadfastly refuses to suffer fools gladly, but manages to do so without intimidating her questioners. I'll chalk that up to her being Canadian; either way, it's an admirable trait.
But it's not all feminist polemics here. We also see Atwood cuddling grandchildren, taking bird-watching walks in the woods with her husband, travelling and chatting pleasantly with fans who approach her in public. What emerges is not a just a tribute to her writing, but an inspirational portrait of woman, now 80, who is comfortable in her own skin and who has created a full and vibrant life based on solid values, creativity and restless intellectual curiosity. I came away from it not just remembering how much I loved her books, but wanting to be more like her in my life. She's a role model for a well-lived life.
For those who may only know Atwood from the recent, resurgent popularity of The Handmaid's Tale, this documentary provides a perfect introduction to the full spectrum of her literary achievements. She was first a poet who then became a groundbreaking feminist writer in the early 1970s with The Edible Woman, Surfacing and Lady Oracle. Her dystopian literature is not limited to The Handmaid's Tale (or its recent sequel, The Testaments - check out her MaddAdam trilogy). She's written children's books and graphic novels, too.
Obviously, the best way to delve into Margaret Atwood's genius during these long days when we're all stuck in our homes is to read her books. Libraries are closed, of course, but Kindle and Ibooks downloads are available, as is delivery from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
As I mentioned above, my Atwood fandom has little to do with The Handmaid's Tale - though it's a very good book, it's not even in my top four of her works. (In order, my preferred titles are: Alias Grace, Oryx and Crake, Cat's Eye and The Blind Assassin.) But dig in wherever you feel motivated to start.
And if you really aren't ready to crack a book, but want to experience her work, may I suggest you stream the Netflix mini-series of Alias Grace. It is a masterful adaptation of Atwood's novel, written and directed by fellow Canadian Sarah Polley who finds ways to make the story startlingly relevant to our current times. See my review here, where I ranked it the best binge watch of 2017.
That's it for today. Remember - be kind, stay safe, don't hoard. See you tomorrow.
So I was thrilled to find a comprehensive, highly entertaining documentary about the author newly dropped on Hulu. Margaret Atwood: A Word After a Word After a Word is Power has an unwieldy title, but an efficient and engrossing approach to its subject. There's a long, late section devoted to the worldwide popularity (and multiple stage and screen versions) of The Handmaid's Tale, of course. (This is a Hulu documentary, after all.) But more importantly, it delivers a fascinating and full-bodied portrait of an exceptional woman - warm, loving, uncompromising, sharp-eyed, good-humored and insatiably curious all at once. And it's a welcome reminder that, long before she created the tale of Offred and the handmaids, Atwood was a potent force for feminism in literature.
The highlights of this film are a recurring series of interview clips with Atwood over the years where she reliably shuts down condescending questions (mostly from men, but not exclusively) about the harshness of her work or the unlikability of some of her characters. She is soft-spoken and blunt in the same moment - always cutting through the bullshit, but in a seemingly patient and nice way. She steadfastly refuses to suffer fools gladly, but manages to do so without intimidating her questioners. I'll chalk that up to her being Canadian; either way, it's an admirable trait.
But it's not all feminist polemics here. We also see Atwood cuddling grandchildren, taking bird-watching walks in the woods with her husband, travelling and chatting pleasantly with fans who approach her in public. What emerges is not a just a tribute to her writing, but an inspirational portrait of woman, now 80, who is comfortable in her own skin and who has created a full and vibrant life based on solid values, creativity and restless intellectual curiosity. I came away from it not just remembering how much I loved her books, but wanting to be more like her in my life. She's a role model for a well-lived life.
For those who may only know Atwood from the recent, resurgent popularity of The Handmaid's Tale, this documentary provides a perfect introduction to the full spectrum of her literary achievements. She was first a poet who then became a groundbreaking feminist writer in the early 1970s with The Edible Woman, Surfacing and Lady Oracle. Her dystopian literature is not limited to The Handmaid's Tale (or its recent sequel, The Testaments - check out her MaddAdam trilogy). She's written children's books and graphic novels, too.
Obviously, the best way to delve into Margaret Atwood's genius during these long days when we're all stuck in our homes is to read her books. Libraries are closed, of course, but Kindle and Ibooks downloads are available, as is delivery from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
As I mentioned above, my Atwood fandom has little to do with The Handmaid's Tale - though it's a very good book, it's not even in my top four of her works. (In order, my preferred titles are: Alias Grace, Oryx and Crake, Cat's Eye and The Blind Assassin.) But dig in wherever you feel motivated to start.
And if you really aren't ready to crack a book, but want to experience her work, may I suggest you stream the Netflix mini-series of Alias Grace. It is a masterful adaptation of Atwood's novel, written and directed by fellow Canadian Sarah Polley who finds ways to make the story startlingly relevant to our current times. See my review here, where I ranked it the best binge watch of 2017.
That's it for today. Remember - be kind, stay safe, don't hoard. See you tomorrow.
