Book of Lives

The story behind the stories, the life behind the art – the riotous, wise and revealing memoir from the cultural icon of our age.

The Sunday Times Bestseller

'Fat and satisfying' – Observer

'I loved it' – Dua Lipa

'Deliciously naughty' – iNews

'Beautifully told' – Woman & Home

'Spellbinding' – FT

Book of the Year – Guardian, Financial Times, Observer, Belfast Telegraph

Immerse yourself in the creative universe of Margaret Atwood for a riot of life, art and everything in between.

Raised by scientifically minded parents, Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forests of northern Quebec – a vast playground for her entomologist father and independent, resourceful mother. It was an unfettered and nomadic childhood, sometimes isolated but also thrilling and beautiful.

From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking key moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel school year that would become Cat's Eye to the unease of 1980s Berlin, where she began The Handmaid's Tale. In pages alive with the natural world, reading and books, major political turning points and her lifelong love for the charismatic writer Graeme Gibson, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood stars, and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel.

As she explores her past, Atwood reveals more and more about her writing, the connections between real life and art – and the workings of one of our boldest imaginations.

Top ten Sunday Times bestseller week of 22 November 2025