Margaret Atwood has been writing poetry, fiction and criticism for almost fifty years. Her influence on Canadian literature is phenomenal, and her influence on contemporary literature as a whole is immense. Her readings fill theatres and her books win a range of literary and social prizes. She has gone from being ‘world famous in Canada’ (to repeat Mordecai Richler's famous joke) to being world famous, full stop.

Atwood used to find that the media tried to reinvent her in ways that she didn't recognize, and perhaps some of that reinvention continues. However, Atwood notes:

Yet Atwood continues to have the power to surprise – from embracing new genres, to developing expertise in the extra-textual side of contemporary publishing, to returning to the poetry that first made her famous. Each Atwood text is a treat, whether it spans only a few lines, or offers up an intricate puzzle in the form of a multilayered novel.

Spanning different genres, as well as crossing over them, Atwood's work appeals to academics and non-academics alike, and this introduction will give you the opportunity to explore not only her own life and work but also the contexts for it and reception of it.