Book Of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts

Non-Fiction Forum: Words & Wine in-person

Hosted by Peter Lamell, Dianne Jacobs & Tony Nippard

Every writer is at least two beings: the one who lives, and the one who writes.

The book we are reading and discussing is Book Of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood.

Discover the life and times of one of the most important writers of our time, from her peripatetic childhood in the Canadian far north, through the writing of The Handmaid's Tale, to her position today as a revered truth-teller and literary icon.

Raised by scientifically minded parents, Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forest of northern Quebec: a vast playground for her entomologist father and independent, resourceful mother. It was an unfettered and nomadic childhood, sometimes isolated but also thrilling and beautiful.

From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking key moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel school year that would become Cat’s Eye to the unease of 1980s Berlin, where she began The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages alive with the natural world, reading and books, major political turning points and her lifelong love for the charismatic writer Graeme Gibson, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood stars and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel.

As she explores her past, Atwood reveals more and more about her writing, the connections between real life and art – and the workings of one of our boldest imaginations.

Immerse yourself in the creative universe of Margaret Atwood in a riot of life, art and everything in between.

Join us for drinks at our final 2026 Words & Wine in-person Non-Fiction Forum that marks the end of another great year of good conversations in good company about good books. The enjoyment of participating in these intimate discussions is that everyone who attends gets to comment on the book we’ve read, exchange ideas with fellow readers and share their perspectives.