Celebrated Writer Series | Joanne Guidoccio

At yesterday’s Celebrated Writer Series in Stratford, Margaret Atwood entertained us with her readings and her special brand of humour.

As I listened to her read excerpts from Gertrude Talks Back and Oryx and Cake, I could feel her passion for the written word. The feisty septuagenarian is definitely a force in English literature, having written more than fifty volumes of poetry, children’s literature, fiction and non-fiction.

When asked about her reading preferences, Atwood told us that she reads everything she can get her hands on, even In-flight Magazine. And she enjoys watching a wide range of movies, among them Kung Fu Panda and Mirror Mirror.

While growing up, Margaret Atwood was never told what to read. She knew that certain books were not appropriate, but that didn’t stop her. She recalls climbing up on the garage roof to read Peyton Place.

Other interesting tidbits…

She never throws out books. Instead, she inserts name plates with the message—This book is yours—and leaves the books on park benches throughout the city.

The only books she did not enjoy writing were those she did not finish.

She has her own attitude about semi-colons.

While she prefers print books, she has tried e-readers and believes they have their place.

She has read every trashy book about Mary Queen of Scots.

She encourages everyone to visit Wattpad for information about a digital poetry award called “The Attys.”

It was a triple treat for those of us who attended yesterday’s Celebrated Writer Series at the Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford.

In addition to hearing Michael Ondaatje discuss The Cat’s Table, Stratford actors Cynthia Dale and Tom McManus read two separate passages of the acclaimed novel. When asked why those particular selections had been chosen, Ondaatje admitted that he found it difficult to read from that part of the novel. In previous readings, he stuck to the first section which follows the early lives of three feral boys on a ship bound for England.

Ondaatje is definitely a pantser–he writes by the seats of his pants and does not create lengthy outlines. In this case, he had only an idea in mind: a young boy is traveling by himself on a ship bound for England. In an earlier interview, he admitted: “Some authors know what the last sentence is going to be before they begin–I don’t even know what the second sentence is going to be.”

Another audience member asked if The Cat’s Table is a personal one. Ondaatje hedged and stated that all novels are personal. He made a similar journey during his youth, but he doesn’t recall too many details about it. While writing, he discovers different aspects of his life and often creates more interesting adventures, especially when writing about childhood.

Nominated for last year’s Giller Award, The Cat’s Table is one of five novels written by the author who started out as a poet. Michael Ondaatje is best know for The English Patient which was later adapted into an Academy Award winning movie.