Saturday, September 26, 2009

Margaret Atwood - a rediscovered author

Just finished reading Cat's Eye, vintage Atwood. Every sentence beautifully crafted. Descriptions of ordinary things, events, art pieces the protagonist created, realistic - makes the reader wonder if Atwood wanted to be a painter, but could only describe the paintings in words, rather than with canvas and brush. Her visualization is astonishing.

Katie MacNichol, noted actress, member of my picture book critique group, will be one of the narrators at Royce Hall, UCLA, October 9, 2009, at a promotion of The Year of the Flood, Atwood's latest release. This event features Atwood reading from the work, along with various actors and a chorus. The novel is set in a bleak future.

Years ago I listened to P. D. James' Children of Men on tape. It is chilling, unforgettable. The movie did not, in my opinion, do it justice. I don't know if other James' works are Atwood-esque, but this one surely is. The others James I have read are somber mysteries.

No comments: