Margaret Atwood began writing poetry in high school, and the most thrilling moment of her writing career was the publication of her first poem: ‘I mean, all the other things that have happened since then were a thrill, but that was the biggest.’ She has gone on to publish 19 collections of poetry, as well as 14 novels – including 'The Handmaid’s Tale', 'The Blind Assassin' and 'MaddAddam', published last summer. Organised and methodical in writing fiction, she writes poetry ‘in a state of free float’, very often in hotel rooms or on planes. Her poems tend to begin with a cluster of words, around which they form – she has compared the process to ‘dipping a thread into a supersaturated solution to induce crystal formation’ – and sometimes they result in novels. In a conversation with Peter Kemp, Chief Fiction Reviewer of the Sunday Times, Atwood talks about how she believes that poetry and fiction use different parts of the brain, explains how poems can open doors into rooms which novels then enter and explore, and reads from her work.

We are grateful to the Canadian High Commission in the UK for hosting this event at Canada House. We are grateful to the TLS for supporting this event.

Margaret Atwood reads her poetry

Listen to an excerpt from THAT FRIEND by Sabrina Brier, read by the author and a full cast.

THAT FRIEND Audiobook Excerpt

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5zQf7ba1SZhAZobE3T56GS
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Mein Mann ist tot. Eine Fremde steht vor meiner Tür. Sie sagt, mein Haus gehört ihr ...

Nur wenige Tage nach dem plötzlichen Tod meines Mannes klingelt es an der Tür. Vor mir steht eine fremde Frau. Sie hat einen kleinen Jungen auf dem Arm und trägt genau das gleiche Diamantenarmband am Handgelenk wie ich.

Als ich sie hereinbitte, bemerke ich, wie beim Anblick unseres geräumigem, liebevoll eingerichteten Zuhauses ihre Augen groß werden. Sie wirft einen Blick auf die silbergerahmten Familienfotos und meine kleine Tochter, die sich hinter mir versteckt. Sie sieht mich mit ernsten blauen Augen an. »Es tut mir leid«, sagt sie. »Ich weiß, das ist ein Schock für Sie. Aber ich bin die Geliebte Ihres Mannes. Und das ist sein Sohn.«

Meine Welt bricht zusammen. Und dann teilt sie mir mit, dass ihr mein Haus gehört – und sie nicht die geringste Absicht hat, wieder zu gehen ...


Seine andere Frau by K.L. Slater, narrated by Viola Gabor

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Mein Mann war kein Monster. Ganz gleich, was die Leute sagen ...

Bis vor ein paar Wochen war mein Leben perfekt. Michael war ein hingebungsvoller Ehemann und ein liebevoller Vater. Unsere Familie war der Traum, den ich mir immer gewünscht hatte. Doch plötzlich wurde er zum Albtraum. Mein Mannwurde beschuldigt, etwas mit dem Verschwinden einer jungen Mutter aus unserem Dorf zu tun zu haben. Nachdem er von der Polizei befragt worden war, stürzte er sich vor einen Lastwagen.

Er war mein Leben – und jetzt stehe ich auf seiner Beerdigung und halte die kleine Hand unserer sechsjährigen Tochter Tansy. Ich versichere allen, dass Michael unschuldig war, aber ich sehe in ihren Augen, dass sie mir nicht glauben.

Meine Tochter wird ihren Vater nicht als Monster in Erinnerung behalten, dafür werde ich sorgen. Ich werde jede Spur eines Verbrechens vernichten, koste es, was es wolle. Denn auch ich habe Geheimnisse. Und ich kann nicht riskieren, dass die Leute anfangen, mich zu beobachten ...

Die Witwe by K.L. Slater, narrated by Patrizia Grawe

The School for Wicked Witches #2: 
Wicked Never Waits
Written by Will Taylor
Narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw	

After making her escape from The School for Wicked Witches, Ava has realized that it might be the right place for her, after all.  But her return isn't triumphant -- if anything, she's more behind than ever. When things start to go very wrong at the school, Ava discovers she may be able to save the day... but only if she pairs up with Tinabella, her friend-turned-enemy. What's a young witch to do?

Print edition published by Scholastic Inc.  Text copyright 2025 by Will Taylor.  Production copyright 2025 by Scholastic Inc.  All rights reserved. 

Formats Available:
Digital Trade		978-1-5461-5155-5		$20.99
Digital Library	978-1-5461-5156-2		$62.99


The School for Wicked Witches #2: Wicked Never Waits - Audiobook Clip

Squad, The
Written by Christina Soontornvat
Narrated by Grace Li, Vaneh Assadourian, Ashley Austin Morris, and a full cast	

"Raw, candid, moving, and full of heart." - Betty C. Tang, creator of the award-winning bestseller Parachute Kids
"Gorgeous, heartfelt, and hilarious." - Sarah Mlynowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series
STEP UP. COMMIT. FOLLOW THROUGH.
It's eighth grade and Christina and her besties, Megan and Leanne, are once again going through the brutal trials of cheerleading tryouts. This year, Christina feels more confident: She dresses in her own style and has amazing friends, even her first crush. But what if the girls don't all make the squad? Worse than that, Christina learns her parents' marriage is collapsing. Suddenly, her family, her future, and her identity seem in total freefall. Can she keep it together and still make her cheerleading dreams come true?

Print edition published by Scholastic Inc. Text Copyright 2024 by Christina Soontornvat. Production Copyright 2024 by Scholastic Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Formats Available:
Digital Trade		978-1-5461-3718-4		$24.99
Digital Library		978-1-5461-3719-1		$74.99




The Squad - Audiobook Clip

Listen here1
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I’m Rylan Flynn. I hunt for ghosts and restless spirits, and solve the mysteries that make them haunt the living.

As I drive across an isolated bridge way out in the woods, a bright light blinds me. But it isn’t a car approaching. It’s a ghost, with a deadly secret to reveal.

I follow the spirit down to the river. There, below the water, I find the body of a young woman. A small square of skin is missing from her hip, and I’m certain she was murdered.

Detective Ford Pierce rushes to join me. Our friendship is turning into something deeper, and there’s nobody I would rather have by my side.

But when Ford sees the body his face turns pale. The girl in the water is his cousin, Kenzie Cross.

As a family member, Ford is forbidden from investigating. But he’s determined to find the killer, and he wants my help. Even if that means working outside the rules.

When the police discover that Kenzie had a secret boyfriend from a strict religious family, they’re certain this is a simple case. But I find evidence that links Kenzie to another mysterious death—years ago, beneath the very same bridge.

I’ve never worked so closely with Ford before, and the danger of the case puts a strain on our new relationship. Can we learn to work together, before another innocent life is taken?

Packed with mysteries, hauntings, shocking twists, and slow-burn romance, the Rylan Flynn series is a paranormal adventure perfect for fans of Noelle W. Ihli, Heather Graham, and Wendy Wang.

The River Ghost by Dawn Merriman, narrated by Stephanie Cannon

Brought to you by Penguin.

I know what I saw...

'The ghosts of today live not in castles or stately homes, but in ordinary houses and offices, and they're witnessed by ordinary people like you and me. We just need to figure out what the hell they are - the dead returning from the "undiscovered country" of death? Or the product of that equally mysterious and ancient location, the human mind?

This book is the story of these ordinary people who have experienced extraordinary things and want to make sense of them. Each one is a brand-new case I have never shared before; modern day ghost stories that make my blood run cold as effectively as anything that Charles Dickens could rustle up. And they are all entirely true.

It's also a story of my own personal journey of discovery because I've realised something while reading all these incredible stories that come my way. I've realised how much I want to believe. I'm asking you to join me, to keep an open mind and to prepare to have your very concept of reality challenged. Are you ready?'

Into the Uncanny, written and read by Danny Robins

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of the international phenomenon Surrounded by Idiots.

Studies suggest two people who have never met before will tell three lies within the first five minutes. Astounding. But why?

Why do we choose to lie even when we know it's wrong? To protect the people we love? To paint ourselves in a better light? To win short-lived praise? Or, are there simply far more obscure reasons behind why we lie?

In Surrounded by Liars, international bestselling author and behavioural expert Thomas Erikson unpacks the psychological reasons behind why we lie, and reveals the impact lying has on our relationships.

With the help of the behavioural model made famous in Surrounded by Idiots, discover how to detect the liars in your life and shatter their deception for good!

Surrounded by Liars, written by Thomas Erikson and read by David John

Brought to you by Penguin.

**Soon to be a major Netflix TV series, starring Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin**

Listen to the captivating Korean feminist thriller for fans of KIM JIYOUNG BORN 1982, CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN and YELLOWFACE.

‘So this is the world we live in, where even spouses can be rented’

Meet Noh Inji: thirty years old, five wedding rings so far, and she’s never once been in love.

When Inji takes a job at Wedding & Life, the popular matchmaking service, she never imagines her role will be with NM, their secretive marriage division that rents out ‘field spouses’ for a fixed period to their elite clientele. Just like a real marriage, Inji’s assignments involve a wedding, some sex and a spot of housework. It’s all tailored exactly to the client’s desires - no legal battles, no fights, no emotional baggage.

In no way is Inji interested in finding real love, because accidents happen when you mistakenly assume that you are somehow special. At NM, love is temporary, which is just how Inji likes it.
When one of Inji’s old husbands, a mysterious high-profile music producer, requests her back for another year of marriage, Inji’s own dark past will begin to unravel – as well as the sinister underbelly of the NM management, who will stop at nothing to preserve their reputation - and that of their wealthiest clients …


The Trunk, written by Kim Ryeo-Ryeong and read by Greta Jung

Babysitters Little Sister #16: 
Karen's Goldfish
Written by Ann M. Martin
Narrated by Stephanie Drake	

Karen and her little brother Andrew are getting new pet - goldfish! Karen names hers Crystal Light. Andrew's is called Goldfishie. Karen and Andrew love to watch their fish swim around and around.
 
Then something happens to Crystal Light, and Karen is so sad. Nothing can make her feel better...until Karen's witchy neighbor saves the day!


Print edition published by Scholastic Inc.  Text copyright 1991 by Ann M. Martin.  Production copyright 2025 by Scholastic Inc.  All rights reserved.

Formats Available:
Digital Trade		978-1-5461-5119-7		$18.99
Digital Library		978-1-5461-5120-3	$56.99

Babysitters Little Sister #16: Karen's Goldfish - Audiobook Clip

Background, context, and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/05/28/keeping-quiet-sylvia-boorstein-reads-pablo-neruda

Excerpted from https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/what-we-nurture-with-sylvia

MORE / POEM TEXT

Sylvia Boorstein reads "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda

This is a new concept I'm trying out; A poem within a poem. I think it offers an interesting dynamic. Hope you like it. 
Instrumental: "We're All Leaving" -Arcade Fire (From the "Her" Soundtrack)
Lyrics: 
In my dreams i lose the concept of time, its something that i don't really mind because its gonna take me a while to find out everything about you that i can, from the gentle touch of your hands to your toes in the sand of this beach devoid of reality, these brief moments that you've given me have brought me to the brink of insanity, but i simply don't care; your hair swaying with the wind, our beating hearts making up the only sound in between whispers that carry secrets too heavy to be heard aloud. 

You see, in my dreams every touch is gentle and warm, every kiss is filled with bliss, and every word that you say plays back in my head like the most beautiful song; and i struggle to hold on to the memories of the days where we laughed and played under the soft white bed sheets, the sweet smell of your perfume as you entered the room, those times where we would lay beside each other and smile as we stared at the moon, wondering if it was looking back at us and smiling too. 
In my dreams, forever never seems quite long enough. 
So if this is all the time we have, just don't wake me up. 
But in case you truly cant stay, ill leave you with a final poem:

"find me beneath the porcelain stars, amongst fragments of memories that define who we are,
touch me like a snowflake grazes a cheek, feel me like warm sand sinking under your feet,
And like lights that adorn the edges of streets, we touch the hearts of others as they pass through;
People will come in to our lives and eventually they'll leave, but what always remains...is how they changed you."
- Written and performed by Igor Oro

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"In My Dreams" - A Spoken Word Poem

When it comes to life, it's all about perspective. 

Written and performed by Igor Oro
Music Sample credit: "Do What You Are Doing", by Dexter Britain

LYRICS
One day I asked a blind man if he knew what colors were. He said, "Well, I've never seen them, but in my mind the colour yellow...feels like the warm rays of sunshine. The color green, I imagine, is what covers the soft carpet of grass in an empty meadow; the colour red must be the screech of sirens and horns, and I could have sworn that I felt the calm of blue in the waters of the Atlantic"

"You see, my friend", he added, "I may not have the gift of sight, but I am thankful to be spared the blackness that engulfs the world at night. Although I cannot distinguish dark from light, I can still tell wrong from right; I can hear hidden tones in music that most people cannot, I can dream of beauty from just the scent of a rose, I can feel the crisp droplets of rain on my skin, and unlike others, I can actually see the wind."

"Never feel bad for a blind man," he said finally; "for you see the world for what it is..while I see it for what it could be." 

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"Thoughts of a Blind Man" - Inspirational Spoken Word Poetry

A compelling and inspiring survival story about the immigrant experience

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This is the unforgettable true story of a young boy's remarkable journey: from civil war in east Africa to a refugee camp in Sudan, to a childhood on welfare in an affluent American suburb, and eventually, to a full-tuition scholarship at Harvard University. Following his father's advice to "treat all people--even the most unsightly beetles--as though they were angels sent from heaven," Mawi overcomes the challenges of racial prejudice, language barriers, and financial disadvantage to build a fulfilling, successful life for himself in his new home. Of Beetles and Angels is at once a compelling survival story and an inspiring model for anyone hoping to experience the American dream.

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Available Now from Hachette Audio as a digital download, and as a hardcover and an ebook from Little, Brown Young Readers. 

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OF BEETLES AND ANGELS Written and Read by Mawi Asgedom- Audiobook Excerpt

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OF BEETLES AND ANGELS Written and Read by Mawi Asgedom- Audiobook Excerpt

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