I am a huge fan of Margaret Atwood’s works, ever since I read The Handmaid’s Tale. She is on my list of writers who deserve to win the Nobel Prize. I feel that she is often slighted in spite of all her achievements. I could go on and rant about the selection for prizes like the Nobel. But why spoil a perfectly good day and blog post…
Because the great Ms. Atwood has been awarded the Dan David Prize in Literature. Let’s all clap for Ms. Atwood! She will share this year’s prize with Amitav Ghosh, the Indian author.
From the Prize’s website: “Three prizes of US$ 1 million each are annually awarded for achievements having an outstanding scientific, technological, cultural or social impact on our world. Each year fields are chosen within the three Time Dimensions – Past, Present and Future”
The theme for this year’s literature prize is “2010 Present – Literature: Rendition of the 20th Century” . She was given the award for her body of work which
enabled, for the first time, the emergence of a defined Canadian identity, while exploring both national and transnational issues, such as colonization, feminism, structures of political power and oppression, and the violation and exploitation of nature. She is the creator of a wide range of original fiction in which realism, myth, and parable are skillfully united.
Well done and congratulations, Ms. Atwood. And kudos to the Dan David Prize folks in Tel Aviv.
What do you think of Margaret Atwood’s work? Of Amitav Ghosh’s books? Of this wonderful prize?
Kinna Reads 
Margaret Atwood has shown herself to be devoid of any kind of prinicple or sense of justice. She does not need that money, nor the award- pure greed and egotism can be her only motive.
It is not our intelligence that make us special, but what we do with that intelligence. She has used her intelligence for selfish motives; what an empty life!
Meanwhile people living worthwhile lives, like those bringing food and medicines to the millions in Gaza, continue to make the world a better place. Atwood will be remembered as a selfish person who had no emotional contact with what was happening in our world.
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I don’t think that there is anything “wonderful” about this prize at all. Ask the civilians in Gaza who were subjected to war crimes how they feel about this insipid prize with its celebration by people who are oblivious to war crimes.
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It is extremely disappointing to find tht Atwood has decided to go to accept this award. She is obviously highly intellegent and must be aware of what Israel is doing to the millions of indigenous people it occupies. Shame, shame. She does not need to kowtow to the Israeli propagandist; so why is she doing this?
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I think she’s a genius and I absolutely adore her. Her breadth of writing is simply so far-reaching she can write anything – historical, sci-fi, contemporary. I think it’s because these major prizes like the Booker and Nobel have an aversion to anything sci-fi or futuristic which is a shame.
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It is a shame regarding the bias against sci-fi or futuristic works. Writers like Atwood are really good at intersection of mainstream literary writing and sci-fi writing. Saramago has also explored such themes in his work, most notably in The Cave. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, maybe this will be her year!
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