Let me turn to one of Canada’s most successful novelists and determined advocate for a saner world, Margaret Atwood.

Atwood is the globally acclaimed author of 18 novels, 18 books of poetry and numerous other literary works of criticism. Her books have been adapted into television shows – most notably The Handmaid’s Tale.

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And they’ve been awarded many prizes including the Booker Prize (twice), the Giller Prize and dozens of others. Over 40 million copies have been sold in 40 languages.

It has been my pleasure to know Margaret for many years. I met her originally through my involvement with the Walrus Magazine Foundation, where I served as Board Chair for nine years. Most of my work was inspired by the dynamic Walrus Publisher Shelley Ambrose, who led the organization to great success. She also recruited Atwood to our cause.

Atwood is a champion for all things literary and the Walrus was no exception. She became a strong supporter of our annual gala, which provided an important source of fundraising. She believed in the Walrus’s mandate of providing Canadians an opportunity to read long-form articles about issues critical to the country.

One morning several years ago I flew to Ottawa for a meeting. I noticed, after I was seated, that Margaret Atwood was also on the plane. After we disembarked, I offered to share a taxi with her into the city centre. She said she’d be delighted but insisted on paying.

“Let me,” I said. “Someone else is paying for my trip to Ottawa.”

She laughed that unmistakable cackle. “No. I want to stick this to my publisher.”

Her words underscored the great conflicted affection most authors have for their publishers – a mixture of gratitude for bringing their characters and ideas out into the world. And the wicked desire to stick them with every expense they can possibly find.

Once in the cab, Margaret entertained me with the story of her first author tour, I believe for the novel The Edible Woman. When she arrived at Edmonton, she discovered her first event was at the Eaton’s Department store.

Moreover, management had made the decision to situate the author table not in the book section, but under the escalator in the men’s underwear department!

One can only imagine the humor of a young Margaret Atwood sitting at a table surrounded by men’s briefs, with a pile of books titled The Edible Woman available for purchase.

A particular delight of mine is to listen to Margaret being interviewed. It must terrify any interviewer to have this great opportunity. Generally, she listens carefully to the question, then takes issue with its premise or construction, delivering an impromptu masterclass on how to conduct an interview.

Few interviewers rise to the challenge. Her extraordinary command of the English language delivered with delicious precision flummoxes many. Whenever I’m driving and one of these interviews comes on, I’m tempted to pull to the side of the road; I’m worried I’ll laugh so hard I’ll bang into someone else’s vehicle.

So far this hasn’t happened, but I would ask you next time you hear an Atwood interview to listen carefully, particularly at the beginning. She starts in a cheerful, innocent sounding manner. Then, like a literary stiletto, she simply dismantles the premise of the interviewer’s questions.

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Her wicked sense of humour was often on display at the Walrus Galas, held in the Fermenting Cellars in Toronto. One of our fundraising efforts was a silent auction, with a vast array of experiential items available. One my duties as Chair was to place starting bids on all the auction items to prompt others to do so as well.

This particular evening, Atwood had donated a priceless item: she would name a character in her next novel after the successful bidder.

I lingered by the auction table. Atwood, standing nearby, looked at me with her mischievous pixie grin.

“You should bid,” she urged.

“Will you make my named character a mass murderer or a pervert?” I inquired.

Her smile grew wider. “Maybe both.”

Just then a wealthy developer rushed up and made a knockout bid.

“Narrow escape,” I commented to Atwood. She only smiled.

Among my prized possessions are several first editions of Margaret Atwood’s books. A few are what collectors describe as “high spots.”

One I’m particularly proud of, Double Persephone, took a good deal of time and an immodest amount of money to obtain. It was her first book of poetry published in 1961. As a first book by an author who later became quite famous, it was particularly difficult to find.

Another high spot came after I asked my sister Ann to attend a PEN Canada auction on my behalf as I was delivering a speech that evening across town.

The daughter of Margaret Lawrence (another prominent Canadian author) had donated a first edition Margaret Atwood book that had the inscription, From Peggy Atwood to Peggy Lawrence.

Margaret Lawrence would have been the elder states-person of Canadian writing at the time, Atwood the brash new entrant.

The connection of two important public figures to the book through the inscription made it what collectors call a ‘double association first edition.’ Ann promised to bid on my behalf.

After the auction, I received a letter from a Toronto bookseller who had apparently been bidding against my sister up until the point that he felt some value boundary was crossed.

He’d asked Ann, “How high are you going to go?”

“I don’t know. It’s not my money, it’s my brother’s,” she replied.

Ann exceeded the limit I’d given her by several hundred dollars, but happily she continued until she won. I was very pleased to have this unique book for my collection.

Recently I was interviewed about my recent second novel, The Fulcrum, Shaun Proulx Show Canada Talks Channel 167. Here is a link to that interview for those who are interested:

https://www.siriusxm.ca/channels/canada-talks/

See you next month and in the meantime, happy reading!

Dan Brown’s new novel The Secret of Secrets is long but captivating. You will finish it wanting to go to Prague where it is set.

I await my pre-orders of Louise Penny’s The Black Wolf, her 20th novel which publishes October 29th and Mick Heron’s Clown Town just published.

Michael B. Decter

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