Fortunately there exists an alternative, although the results of a search for Margaret Atwood would not be as pristine. This alternative is the Internet. There does exist some limited information on freely available web-based encyclopedias such as Wikipedia (http://wikipedia.org) or Answers.com (http://www.answers.com) but, to date, the information they provide is restricted to short biographies and bibliographies. For anyone needing more than barebones facts, it is unlikely that either will satisfy.
An alternative is to search for “Atwood” using either Google, Yahoo!Search, Altavista, or some other web search engine. For this chapter, a simple search was performed on Google (http://www.google.com), since it has become the most popular of all web search engines (Bloom, 18-21; Jacso, 28-29; McGarvey, 108-113; Mossberg and Boehret, D1-D6). On 25 April 2006, the following terms or sequence of terms were searched to produce an astonishing number of hits (Fig. 1). Even with the quotations marks to narrow the search, an amazing 2.3 million hits were obtained. Links point to everything from relevant sources, to various booksellers wishing to sell copies of her books, to irrelevant pages with information on some other Margaret Atwood.
This leads to the purpose of this chapter: to simplify cumbersome results and extract what can be considered a site of value. This is not to say that Google or any other such search engine is not entirely useless in information gathering. They certainly have their worth. For example, if someone wishes to locate material on a specific work, this might prove to be the more practical strategy. One can enter the string “‘Margaret Atwood’ and ‘Handmaid’s Tale’” and immediately bring up sites specific to this topic. But, in the case of someone searching for information of a more global nature, Google might not be the best approach.
Four main websites dealing comprehensively with Margaret Atwood are presented and discussed: O.W. Toad; Luminarium Margaret Atwood Page; The Margaret Atwood Society; Margaret Atwood WWW Resources. Such comprehensive sites, as the names imply, contain a wide variety of information ranging from biographies, bibliographies, awards, discussions and critiques, as well as links leading to important external websites.
Following this, additional websites containing specific resources will be listed. Typically these sites provide a single but useful piece of information relating to Margaret At-wood. For instance, one such site would have an interview with Margaret Atwood, a critical analysis of one of her works, or even an audio file in which she reads one of her poems.
Comprehensive Websites
O.W. Toad: Margaret Atwood Reference Site
http://www.owtoad.com/; Atwood, 2005
This site has been quoted as being the official Margaret Atwood information site (Goodman, 2004) and is the first and best place for any newcomer to Margaret Atwood to begin his or her studies. O.W. Toad is an extensive website presenting a wide variety of information. For those interested, O.W. Toad is an anagram of “Atwood” that she not only uses as her domain name but also as the copyright name for her books (Gussow, 9).
The concise biography gives her birth date, education, employment, places of residence from 1939, as well as a list of associations in which she has participated. Details are somewhat brief—they appear essentially in point form—but they are quite complete.
Her literary works are presented in categories: poetry, short fiction, novels, children’s stories, nonfiction, and so forth. Everything is included, from her major literary efforts, to her “small press editions,” to her radio and television scripts. Not only are her English language works provided but also those written in French. In addition, the reader can find a detailed bibliography of critical writings on her efforts (http://www.owtoad.com/critical.html and http://www.owtoad.com/morebooksabout.html). This information is available as a PDF (portable document format) to anyone wishing to download and print.
Other items found include newspaper clippings; an important list of external links allowing access to secondary sources; a section devoted to her husband, Graeme Gibson; and an inventory of awards and honorary degrees. For those who have studied or researched Margaret Atwood, it comes as no surprise that this list is lengthy.
What I have found to be the most valuable and fun information on this site is the What’s New section, which appears to be frequently updated. In simple terms, it provides the particulars of upcoming events in which Margaret Atwood will be participating. These events include lectures, readings, and book signings, all for the current and following year. Dates, places, contact addresses, and outside links are always available for anyone wishing to retrieve additional details. Other events are not so traditional. For instance, on 7–9 August 2006, one could have enjoyed a three-day kayaking tour with Margaret Atwood, among other renowned Canadian authors. This is a fascinating, dynamic, and informative section of O.W. Toad.
From the Desk of Margaret Atwood is another very interesting, albeit image-intensive, section of the site. It is not recommended to those using a slow Internet connection. Here, the researcher will first be greeted by the clear image of a typical working desk complete with drawers, papers, books, boxes, and other stationery. When the cursor is moved over a drawer it opens, revealing its content of papers and documents. Clicking on a particular opened drawer allows the user to access various images and sound clips. Included are reproductions of her book covers, comic strips, and poetry readings. Most impressive is a photo album portraying Atwood through the decades. The photographs are black and white as well as color. Oddly, one drawer is labeled “Worst Reviews Ever,” but is empty. When clicking on the opened drawer, the user is presented with a “coming soon” message. Now, could this be an attempt at humor?
The section entitled On Writing provides the researcher, as much as the aspiring writer, with helpful hints, suggestions, and strategies to follow when becoming involved in the world of publishing. Such comments and advice are extremely useful.
One must not forget the Frequently Asked Questions page which has been written by Margaret Atwood’s assistants, both past (Sarah Cooper) and current (Jennifer Osti). Here, inquiries by prospective writers are answered. Osti’s work address is provided for those wishing to contact either her or Atwood.
From a technical standpoint, O.W. Toad could use some improvement. When first entering the site, the user is faced with a simple and nearly blank title page consisting of only the site’s name and the word “ENTER” to be clicked on before proceeding. That, in itself, is no different from many other websites in existence. Unfortunately, this empty page remains loaded and persists in the background. Instead of the page changing into what should be the introduction to the site, another much smaller window opens at the center of the screen. This new window displays that introduction. The title page should not persist throughout the visit to the website. Once the user has clicked on “ENTER,” this page provides no added value.
Overall, this is an impressive website. There has obviously been a tremendous amount of work spent in its creation and the site is a must-see for the Margaret Atwood enthusiast and novice alike.
Luminarium Margaret Atwood Page
http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/atwood/; Jokinen, 2007
Here is another extensive website that offers both biographical and bibliographical material. Unlike O.W. Toad, the biography section contains a great deal more information, including details on her father, her education, her previous marriage to Jim Polk, and her publications. It is presented in flowing paragraphs rather than a simple point list.
Mimicking O.W. Toad, her literary works are categorized by form: novels, short stories, poems, children’s books, and nonfiction books. The similarity ends here, however. First, this inventory appears immediately on the main page to the right of Atwood’s biography. I was very pleased to see all important content immediately upon entering the site; there was no need for second-guessing.
Another important feature: Atwood’s works are hyperlinked to corresponding companion and study guides. Each guide will supply the researcher with access to an
enormous and extremely valuable amount of information specific to an individual work. For example, clicking on The Penelopiad leads to a description of her novel as well as actual excerpts, book reviews, and interviews. The type of information varies from work to work and can include not only brief descriptions but also lead the user to plot synopses and links to essays on a particular book, short story, or poem. It is clear that Jokinen has expended a significant amount of time and effort gathering and compiling so much information onto a single site.
The external link section located at the very bottom of the main web page is rather brief yet incorporates links to major sites such as O.W. Toad and that of the Margaret Atwood Society. Also available are links to articles, speeches, and audio and video files.
The site is well designed and intuitive with its clear and always present navigation menu. The text font is large and crisp, even at resolutions of 1280 x 1024 pixels. As in many websites, going to the main URL (http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/atwood/) will bring the user to a splash page which is nothing more than a blank page with an image centered within and a link to the actual site. I would much rather be brought directly into the site itself and avoid this extra click.
The Margaret Atwood Society Website
http://margaretatwoodsociety.org/; Margaret Atwood Society, 2007
This is a very useful site packed with an enormous amount of material freely available to any visitor, and the information presented has a different focus from that which appears on O.W. Toad. Instead of treating Margaret Atwood as the main subject of discussion, this is an information page about the Margaret Atwood Society. This society is an international association of scholars, teachers, and students sharing an interest in her works, and includes exchange of views and ideas about them (T. Friedman and The Margaret Atwood Society, 2005). This site is, however, currently in the process of changing from one domain to another.
The original site can still be found at http://www.cariboo.bc.ca/atwood/. Since this changeover is not yet complete, caribou.bc.ca should not be discounted from this discussion as there remains some useful material. Compared to the new site, the original website is very cumbersome to use. The text is extremely large; its font certainly not one I prefer to view on a web browser. Tables are blocky and visually unappealing. Additionally, some sections do not function very well with all browsers.
For instance, at the time that this chapter was written, links within the bibliography of Margaret Atwood did not work with Internet Explorer (v. 6) for Windows (98 or XP). When clicking on any of the links, Internet Explorer did not connect to or load any of the indicated web pages. Instead, an error message was generated stating that the particular page had not been found. The results are very different when using other web browsers (e.g., Mozilla, Netscape). In these cases, the web page functioned normally. The same can be said for those who would rather use a Mac. Both Safari and Internet Explorer for Mac worked well. It seemed to be a problem only for IE (v. 6) for Windows.
On what is now the official website for the Margaret Atwood Society (http://margaretatwoodsociety.org), there is a detailed description of the Society. There is also a form to fill out to become a member of the Society (http://www.margaretatwoodsociety.org/membershipform.doc). Officers come from a variety of North American, European, and Australasian nations. Emails are available for all officers: president and vice-president, treasurer and secretary, as well as the various bibliographers and the webmis-tress. The inclusion of such information is of great importance for anyone wishing to contact the Society. If one does not find what he or she is seeking, it is thus possible to communicate with someone who might have the answer or, at least, know where to find it.
A Call for Papers is posted. Any scholar wishing to contribute to the analysis of Margaret Atwood’s works is free to do so. The focus and publication requirements are stated as well as the appropriate people or organization to contact. Conferences and conventions are given with dates and locations. Conference panels are described in detail.
The Society awards prizes to those who write about Margaret Atwood. Deadlines are provided along with a list of judges for each category: best book on Atwood; best article in a scholarly journal; best graduate essay, thesis, or dissertation; and best undergraduate essay. This is important information to provide to the public as it encourages both students and scholars to contribute to the field.
The new Margaret Atwood Society site has a much better presentation with clean text font as well as a clear and logical informational order. This is, without a doubt, a major improvement over its predecessor.
Margaret Atwood: WWW Resources
http://www.mnstate.edu/goodman/atwood.htm; Goodman, 2004
Compiled by Brittney Goodman—Director, Instructional Resources at Minnesota State University (http://www.mnstate.edu/goodman/index.htm.)—this is strictly a compilation of links. It is, however, an amazing and extensive collection that deserves to be mentioned. Present are not only links to the two sites previously discussed but also to a variety of discussion pages, interviews, and other resources. The researcher will find links to critical analyses on The Handmaid’s Tale, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake, various poems, and much more.
Unpretentious, the Margaret Atwood WWW Resources page is a quirky and colorful site that was found to be relaxing of sorts. Although it may not contain the details that a scholar might seek, it can perfectly suit the needs of the high school student or teacher in a search for quick information or a shortcut to reviews and analyses of some of Atwood’s most famous works.
The site is straightforward and easy to use. Every bit of data Goodman has found is included in a single, though lengthy, web page. As opposed to many existing web pages, there is no second-guessing involved when browsing through this one.
Specific Resources
Information in this section has been presented differently from that above. Instead of recording and describing each website individually, sites have been categorized by resource type, such as interviews, speeches, and study guides. Since these sites typically include a single piece of information, this approach is thought to be clearer.
Interviews
There is literally an overabundance of web pages giving access to interviews with Margaret Atwood. Just as an example, on 7 June 2006, a combined search for “margaret at-wood” and “interview” was performed on Google that resulted in an astounding 213,000 hits. Some provide the transcript of the interview while others supply an actual recording. The length of the interview can vary, but what is important is the fact that Atwood’s actual words can be read or heard (provided the researcher has the necessary software to operate these sound files). Furthermore, these interviews vary in date, ranging from the late 1960s to the present. Researchers will be able to experience for themselves the evolution of Atwood’s thoughts.
There is a most impressive collection of ten radio and television interviews found at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) website (http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-68-1494/arts_entertainment/margaret_atwood/). These have been taken throughout the course of her career. The interviews are available as sound or video clips that can be listened to or viewed directly from the web browser. Atwood can be heard talking about puppetry, opera, television appearances, her novels, her awards, and much more. Similar French-language interviews are available at the Radio-Canada website (http://archives.radio-canada.ca/IDD-0-72-1397/arts_culture/margaret_atwood/). As with the CBC interviews, these represent a collection of ten interviews.
Next is a 2003 interview with Katherine Lanpher of Minnesota Public Radio in which Atwood discusses her work The Handmaid’s Tale (http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/news/midmorning/2003/05/09_midmorn2.ram). As with the CBC and Radio-Canada interviews, it is also strictly available as a sound clip. Unfortunately, this clip is of the “.ram” format, making the installation of RealPlayer® (http://www.real.com/player) necessary.
The 2000 interview with Linda
Richards of January Magazine (http://www.januarymagazine.com/profiles/atwood.html) is not only lengthy but also provides a list of Atwood’s works. Here, the author discusses her career, her role models and influences, her works and successes, as well as her future projects.
In a 1997 interview with Laura Miller of Salon Magazine (http://www.salon.com/jan97/interview970120.html), Victorian murderesses and Atwood’s claim to Connecticut are the focus. A second 1997 interview with Marilyn Snell of Mother Jones (http://www.motherjones.com/arts/qa/1997/07/visions.html) answers questions relating to Atwood’s political and creative involvement, as well as more personal matters about herself, money, and feminism.
In 1996 Atwood was interviewed by Harriet Gilber of the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/atwoodm1.shtml). This interview is freely available as sound clips in which Atwood talks about realism, tragedy and comedy, and her novels Surfacing, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Cat’s Eye. As with other sound clips, these recordings are also in “.ram” format.
The questions asked during the 1991 interview with Raymond H. Thompson (http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/intrvws/atwood.htm) pertain to her interest in the Arthurian legend. And, even earlier, in 1986 she spoke with Don Swaim of CBS to discuss her novels, Canada, her thoughts on religion and human rights, and her decision to not major in journalism (http://wiredforbooks.org/margaretatwood/). This is another interview that is only available in “.ram” format.
Sound Clips
The following are sound clippings and poetry readings in which Margaret Atwood can be heard reading her own words:
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