Burning Questions Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2021

In this brilliant selection of essays, the award-winning, best-selling author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments offers her funny, erudite, endlessly curious, and uncannily prescient take on everything from whether or not The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopia to the importance of how to define granola—and seeks answers to Burning Questions such as…

• Why do people everywhere, in all cultures, tell stories? Including thoughts on the writing of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, Oryx & Crake, and her other beloved works.
• How much of yourself can you give away without evaporating?
• How can we live on our planet?
• Is it true? And is it fair?
• What do zombies have to do with authoritarianism?

In more than fifty pieces spanning nearly two decades, Atwood aims her prodigious intellect and impish humor at our tumultuous world—and reports back with the wisdom only she can provide. This roller-coaster period brought the end of history, a financial crash, the rise of authoritarianism, and a pandemic. From when to dispense advice to the young (answer: only when asked) to Atwood’s incisive views on the climate crisis, we have no better guide to the many and varied mysteries of our universe.

Whether you’re a devoted Atwood reader or discovering her nonfiction for the first time, this collection showcases her remarkable range—from literary criticism and feminist thought to environmental activism and cultural commentary. Her voice is as sharp, witty, and relevant as ever, making Burning Questions essential reading for anyone seeking to understand our complex modern world through the eyes of one of literature’s most penetrating minds.

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