Burning Questions: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2021

Just brilliant

Fans of Atwood may quibble over whether her fiction is more enjoyable than her essays or the other way round. It is a pleasant debate because Atwood is undoubtedly one of the finest writers alive. She’s 82 and still prolific. The debate arises because her fiction displays the breadth of human imagination whereas her essays are pointed analysis of observed events. Burning Questions contain her thoughts and observations of events chronicling the years 2004 to 2021. It covers subjects that include the reasons why she loves Shakespeare, and the trauma of the Trump years. Her remembrance of Alice Munro and L M Montgomery are humble acknowledgments of fellow writers. In every piece, we are regaled with the choicest prose. On successful authors of ‘genres’, as opposed to ‘novels’, she writes, ‘They want to entertain, a bad and escapist thing, rather than just rubbing our noses in the daily grit produced by the daily grind’. She has been accused of being a bad feminist. She defends herself very well and asks, ‘What would a good feminist look like in the eyes of my accusers?’ Her 2018 essay at page 335 goes full swing from defence to attack. May her accusers read it with an open mind. This is a book that one might want to keep constantly at hand, and read over, again and again – until her next book comes along.

Wide ranging essays from book reviews, book introductions, speeches etc.I read the other books Atwood writes about after she interested me in them via her essays.

The essays are intelligent, wise and insightful. It is like talking to a valued friend

Atwood provides a perspective to other published works and to her own. The Canadian perspective to American works is revealing and interesting. She is candid and frank. Her remarks about the cannon of literature has led me to re-read many of the works she discusses.

Just what you would expect from a mind like hers. A few of the essays aren’t as strong as the others, but overall terrific.

Intelligent observations and thoughtful analysis of life and world events.

I like Atwood’s fiction and have enjoyed the 2 lectures by her that I attended. But this collection leaves me flat, and after nearly 300 pages decided that life is too short to spend more time being bored, so I quit.

As a fan of Margaret Atwood, this is something to dip into and savour. A “go to collection”. It covers her writings of all types from 2014…… Poems, articles etc. Have begun and am going to dip into it rather like a delicious box of favourite chocs (apologies to non-sweetie eaters!!) I’m sure it willbe a delicious mix of milk and dark, but as stimulating and insightful as the lady herself is. A book to reach for alongside other books being read. Enjoy and appreciate her singular view of our recent history.

See the headline above. More should not be needed.

Thoroughly enjoyable book of essays by an author who knows how to hold an audience captive.Concise arguments and extremely timely.

A fascinating exploration of dozens of themes. Written with Atwood’s trademark wit.