Negotiating With The Dead

"An ambitious inquiry into the art of writing and an unprecedented insider’s view of the writer’s universe, from the beloved author of The Handmaid’s Tale.

What do we mean when we say that someone is a writer? Is he or she an entertainer? An improver of readers’ minds and morals? And who, for that matter, are these mysterious readers? In this wise and irresistibly quotable book, one of the most intelligent writers working in English addresses the riddle of her art: why people pursue it, how they view their calling, and what bargains they make with their audience, both real and imagined. To these fascinating issues Booker Prize-winner Margaret Atwood brings a candid appraisal of her own experience as well as a breadth of reading that encompasses everything from Dante to Elmore Leonard."

-Powell's

Margaret Atwood identifies common concepts in writing with the help of metaphors and handpicked quotes.

The book represents a guide for future writers and as well as a biography of the author. It brims with examples from classical to contemporary works, highlighting a writer's multifaceted and sometimes conflicting roles, challenges, and opportunities. At the same time, much of Negotiating with the Dead has a conversational tone that undoubtedly stems from both its origin as a series of lectures and Atwood's singular, robust voice. As a result, this book is approachable, digestible, and memorable, a helpful guide for writers who aim to follow in Atwood's footsteps.