Person
Every book Margaret Atwood recommended on podcasts
Margaret Atwood is a renowned author best known for her celebrated contributions to speculative fiction, poetry, and literary classics such as The Handmaid’s Tale. On an episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, Atwood discussed several books that shaped her perspective or illuminated specific literary techniques. She recommended Yang Jisheng's The World Turned Upside Down, highlighting its exploration of how leaders went about toppling the Gang of Four during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. When discussing narrative structures, Atwood examined Homer's epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey, noting how their approach of starting in the middle of things serves as a useful storytelling device. Reflecting on her early reading habits, she recalled encountering George Orwell's 1984 in its paperback form shortly after its initial release during her teenage years. Additionally, Atwood brought up George Eliot's Middlemarch to demonstrate how readers of different age groups react distinctively to the same text, recalling how a nineteen-year-old found the characters' poor career choices and mismatched marriages unappealing. Through these discussions, Atwood illustrated the enduring power of literature across history and personal development.
Books recommended by Margaret Atwood
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The World Turned Upside Down
The World Turned Upside Down by Yang Jisheng is a comprehensive historical examination of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and the intricate political dynamics of that turbulent era.
Recommended“the world turned upside down it's by Yang Jang the most interesting part for me is is how they went about toppling the gang of four”
Where to get it
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1984
1984 by George Orwell is a classic dystopian novel exploring totalitarianism, surveillance, political tribalism, and the systematic control of information.
Discussed“so I read 1984 just after it came out so I read it in the paperback version with the typically sleazy cover of the early 50s”
Where to get it
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Middlemarch
Middlemarch by George Eliot is a classic Victorian novel that explores provincial life, social reform, morality, and human relationships in a fictional English town.
Discussed“Middlemarch by George Elliott the 19-year-old said of oh this is we don't like this book at all because the people in it make wrong decisions in their careers and they marry the wrong people”
Where to get it
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The Iliad
The Iliad by Homer is an ancient Greek epic poem detailing the events of the Trojan War and the wrath of Achilles.
Discussed“and that goes all the way back to for instance homer so you read the ilad and the Odyssey you can see that there's a Narrative Approach of very useful”
Where to get it
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The Odyssey
Homer's epic poem The Odyssey recounts the arduous ten-year journey of the Greek hero Odysseus as he strives to return home to Ithaca following the Trojan War, facing mythical monsters, divine wrath, and profound personal trials along the way.
Discussed“and that goes all the way back to for instance homer so you read the ilad and the Odyssey you can see that there's a Narrative Approach of very useful”
Where to get it
Books Margaret Atwood wrote
Appearances
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“so I I wrote a novel called Alias Grace and then that gets turned into a um Netflix series Ser minseries by Sarah paully”