Customer Reviews

Writing with Intent: Essays, Reviews, Personal Prose--1983-2005

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I was introduced to the works of Margaret Atwood several years ago through A Handmaid's Tale. For several years, I knew her only as a writer of fiction novels. With this collection of essays and reviews, I have finally come to fully appreciate what an amazing writer she is. I cannot praise this book enough. It is divided into three parts according to the time in which they were written. The works contained in this book include her own process of writing such novels as the Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace, to reviews of other works (she only reviews what she likes), to personal stories.

This is the kind of book that I feel the need to highlight and discuss with my friends. I started to photocopy various selections to give to my best friend to read, but in the end I decided just to lend her the entire book, post-its sticking out all of the pages, marking the sections I think she must read. Read it one section at a time, or all in one sitting, either way, this collections shows just how talented and thought-provoking Margaret Atwood is as a writer.

Atwood's collected essays in this book range from book reviews to discussions about writing futuristic dystopias and a defense of the villainess. I highly recommend this for Atwood fans who want to know more about the author and for any writer insterested in pushing the boundaries of genre, feminism, and writing courageously. Worth the price of admission just to read the story of her first ever book signing - in a store's Mens' Underwear department.

Writing With Intent from 2005 is an excellent book that I highly recommend. There are a few words of caution, however. Atwood has written a number of non-fiction works including the famous "Negotiating With The Dead" to name but one. She has another book from 2004 called "Moving Targets" which is sold in what appears to be a different market. So, if you have read or own that 2004 book, you can probably skip the present book. I did not compare them word for word but they are very similar.

Okay, now back to this present book. It is a series of essays on many topics including her own writing experiences plus what she thinks of other books and other authors. It is an impressive display of humor and knowledge of other books. She shows the reader her deep insight into how writers think and what other authors are trying to say, or their voice.

As one example, she links Orwell's writing to her own work "A Handmaid's Tale" and shows why and where she got her ideas and inspiration.

Another author, and one who I do not really like personally, is Toni Morrison. She gives the reader many reasons to like Morrison, and maybe I will have a second look at "Beloved" which I read and did not like, or more accurately was not too excited about.

Overall, this is a humbling experience and most will be awed by her knowledge and personality. It reminds the reader of Virginia Woolf's "Common Reader" books, but not as broad as Woolf, but with more personal stories and a bit longer than Woolf's two books combined.

I cannot say enough good things about this book.

Ms Atwood is at top of her game in this collection. Amust read for her many fans!

I would call Margaret Atwood a well-rounded writer in all its genres. She is a Canadian writer, winner of many awards. This new volume includes essays, reviews, and personal prose; her earlier collection such as this, was the 1982 SECOND WORDS.

Writing with intent includes different styles, purpose and motivation, character and plot development, process of historical fiction and writing on political topics. Her review of Bill McKibben's ENOUGH: STAYING HUMAN IN AN ENGINEERED AGE, dwells on tenetic alteration (cloning), nanotechnology, cybernetics and cryogenics. "Eternal life has only been humanity's great dream since the moment we became conscious." The pursuit of happiness is what human dreams are made of. If we were all the same, there would be no need to read Shakespeare or Dante. There would be knowledge, but no wisdom. "We should leave well enough alone," he avers.

The review she did of Orphan Pamuks' SNOW helpmed make it a bestseller in 2004. I reviewed it some time ago. Looking at her reviews made me realize how amateurish mine are, but the difference is that she's a 'pro' and I'm just having fun.

She wrote about Ursula K. LeGuin and her writer mother. Ursula has eighteen novels of fantasy and science fiction, and ten collections of stories. Her stories never seem to crash, like our Internet e-mail programs. There are all kinds of Biblical connotations concerning the left hand. Although the left hand is the sinister one, God has a left hand so left hands can't all be bad. The thief was at the left hand of Christ. The decisive blows are struck left-handed. Happy Birthday to my left-handed son. In the painting, "The Prodigal Son," his left hand is feminine.

In fiction, Margaret Atwood's work includes CAT'S EYE, BLUEBEARD'S EGG, and BODILY HARM; in non-fiction, DAYS OF THE REBELS, STRANGE THINGS and MOVING TARGETS. She has written juvenile storybooks for children, FOR THE BIRDS, ANA'S PET, and UP IN THE TREE. Her poetry includes POWER POLITICS, INTERLUNAR, and YOU ARE HAPPY. Today is a good day to be happy.