In the midst of receiving excellent reviews of her latest novel, The Heart Goes Last, Margaret Atwood narrates this charmingly animated video feature in anticipation of the Future of Storytelling Summit, held in New York City next week. In it she explains how innovative technologies impact the ways in which we consume, and understand, narrative—from the Gutenberg Press to Wattpad, the popular story-sharing site (for which she wrote
“The Happy Zombie Sunrise Home,” a story with British author Naomi Alderman). “I’ve always been interested in the interaction between content and how it was presented,” she says. “I walk around in a state of wonder every day. Everything’s exciting.”

After hypothesizing on the enduring value of print—“it’s neurologically a different reading experience”—Atwood affirms the intrinsic importance of narrative to our lives, regardless of the medium. “Storytelling is part of being human,” she states. “You can’t separate it from being a human being … How you tell a story, how many pieces you tell a story in … all of these things are old. It’s just that we think of new ways to distribute them.”

Atwood speaks on a wide range of issues relating to literature, social activism, political engagement, the creative process, the artist’s role in society, technology and art, and, of course, her own accomplished body of work.To book Margaret Atwood as the keynote speaker for your next event, contact The Lavin Agency speakers bureau.