Latest news with #Atwood
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Margaret Atwood calls Canada-U.S. tensions ‘most direct threat since the War of 1812'
TORONTO - Margaret Atwood says it feels 'very weird' to see reality mirror 'The Handmaid's Tale' as the dystopian series comes to an end. The show, adapted from the Canadian author's 1985 novel and filmed largely in and around Toronto, aired its final episode on Crave this week. Starring Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne — a woman forced into reproductive servitude under a brutal theocratic regime — 'The Handmaid's Tale' is set in a totalitarian society that strips women of their rights and autonomy. Since its debut, the series has often felt reflective of real-world politics, especially during Donald Trump's presidency. It premièred amid a growing cultural reckoning over reproductive rights and authoritarian rhetoric, and its imagery even bled into protest movements — with women's rights activists donning red robes and white bonnets based on the show's costume design. 'That's uncanny. Trump won the first time in 2016 when we were in the middle of shooting Season 1, and we all woke up the next day and said, 'We're in a different series,'' Atwood said in Toronto on Thursday while in town to receive an honour at The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Canada Awards. Although the script hadn't changed, she said, 'the frame changed, and people viewed it way differently than they would have if Hillary Clinton had won. If she'd won, it would've been, 'We missed the bullet.' But when he won, people were going, 'Here it comes.'' With Trump now back in office, Atwood reflected on the series' conclusion and the strange timing: 'It's very weird. But we'll be launching 'The Testaments' Season 1 in less than a year, and that's weird too,' she said, referring to the Hulu sequel series based on Atwood's 2019 novel. ''The Testaments' takes place after 'The Handmaid's Tale,' when a resistance is already building. As they do.' That sense of resistance also applies to the current political tension between Canada and the U.S., as growing anxieties over trade disputes and cultural sovereignty are bubbling to the surface — and, in Atwood's view, reaching a level of urgency not seen in decades. 'I've seen that movie a couple of times, but under different circumstances,' she says. 'I think this is the most direct threat we've had since the War of 1812.' The author notes Canada's had a renewed spirit of patriotism she hasn't witnessed in years. 'I know there's a degree of 'yay Canada' that I haven't seen since the 1980s. So it's very interesting for me, and quite new for a lot of young people. They're probably thinking, 'What just happened? What's going on? Is this real?' Still, she says, Canadians shouldn't panic just yet. 'To cheer you up, the States and Canada are both members of (NATO),' she says, explaining that if the U.S. took any hostile action it would first have to exit the alliance, which would then have to defend Canada. 'So how much of a world war do you want to get into?' And while some Canadians are calling for homegrown artists to step up amid rising calls for cultural protectionism, Atwood believes true artistic expression can't be forced. 'You can't order artists to do anything, and if you are ordering them and they're obeying you, they're just propaganda tools,' she says. 'So let the artists rip, they'll make their own decisions, they will create their own things, and then you can decide what you think about them.' Ultimately, Atwood has cautious optimism about the public's ability to recognize warning signs before dystopian fiction becomes lived reality. 'I don't see people running around in red outfits with bonnets yet, so we still have hope,' she says with a smile. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Margaret Atwood calls Canada-U.S. tensions ‘most direct threat since the War of 1812'
TORONTO – Margaret Atwood says it feels 'very weird' to see reality mirror 'The Handmaid's Tale' as the dystopian series comes to an end. The show, adapted from the Canadian author's 1985 novel and filmed largely in and around Toronto, aired its final episode on Crave this week. Starring Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne — a woman forced into reproductive servitude under a brutal theocratic regime — 'The Handmaid's Tale' is set in a totalitarian society that strips women of their rights and autonomy. Since its debut, the series has often felt reflective of real-world politics, especially during Donald Trump's presidency. It premièred amid a growing cultural reckoning over reproductive rights and authoritarian rhetoric, and its imagery even bled into protest movements — with women's rights activists donning red robes and white bonnets based on the show's costume design. 'That's uncanny. Trump won the first time in 2016 when we were in the middle of shooting Season 1, and we all woke up the next day and said, 'We're in a different series,'' Atwood said in Toronto on Thursday while in town to receive an honour at The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Canada Awards. Although the script hadn't changed, she said, 'the frame changed, and people viewed it way differently than they would have if Hillary Clinton had won. If she'd won, it would've been, 'We missed the bullet.' But when he won, people were going, 'Here it comes.'' With Trump now back in office, Atwood reflected on the series' conclusion and the strange timing: 'It's very weird. But we'll be launching 'The Testaments' Season 1 in less than a year, and that's weird too,' she said, referring to the Hulu sequel series based on Atwood's 2019 novel. ''The Testaments' takes place after 'The Handmaid's Tale,' when a resistance is already building. As they do.' That sense of resistance also applies to the current political tension between Canada and the U.S., as growing anxieties over trade disputes and cultural sovereignty are bubbling to the surface — and, in Atwood's view, reaching a level of urgency not seen in decades. 'I've seen that movie a couple of times, but under different circumstances,' she says. 'I think this is the most direct threat we've had since the War of 1812.' The author notes Canada's had a renewed spirit of patriotism she hasn't witnessed in years. 'I know there's a degree of 'yay Canada' that I haven't seen since the 1980s. So it's very interesting for me, and quite new for a lot of young people. They're probably thinking, 'What just happened? What's going on? Is this real?' Still, she says, Canadians shouldn't panic just yet. 'To cheer you up, the States and Canada are both members of (NATO),' she says, explaining that if the U.S. took any hostile action it would first have to exit the alliance, which would then have to defend Canada. 'So how much of a world war do you want to get into?' And while some Canadians are calling for homegrown artists to step up amid rising calls for cultural protectionism, Atwood believes true artistic expression can't be forced. 'You can't order artists to do anything, and if you are ordering them and they're obeying you, they're just propaganda tools,' she says. 'So let the artists rip, they'll make their own decisions, they will create their own things, and then you can decide what you think about them.' Ultimately, Atwood has cautious optimism about the public's ability to recognize warning signs before dystopian fiction becomes lived reality. 'I don't see people running around in red outfits with bonnets yet, so we still have hope,' she says with a smile. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is Reese Atwood? Texas softball star catcher has Longhorns back in WCWS
Who is Reese Atwood? Texas softball star catcher has Longhorns back in WCWS Show Caption Hide Caption How the SEC's softball dominance could carry it through to the Women's College World Series The Oklahoman's Jenni Carlson shares the top storylines she's following through the NCAA softball tournament, starting with the SEC's biggest strengths. Texas softball fell painfully shy of the first NCAA championship in program history last year, falling in the championship series of the Women's College World Series, a setback made that much more unbearable given who it came against (rival Oklahoma, which won its fourth-consecutive national title). One year later, the Longhorns are once again on their sport's biggest stage. With a 51-11 record, coach Mike White's team made it to the WCWS for the third time in the past four seasons after outlasting Clemson in a hard-fought three-game series in the Austin Super Regional last week. The No. 6 seed nationally, Texas will continue its run to a national championship with a game Thursday against No. 3 Florida. REQUIRED READING: WCWS bracket 2025: Full schedule, matchups for NCAA softball tournament Though a number of figures — be it players or coaches — have helped the Longhorns get to this point, one person has loomed especially large. Reese Atwood has been one of the biggest stars in college softball over the past two seasons, racking up all-conference and all-American honors while helping lead her team to spectacular heights. This year, she was one of the best players in the best conference in the country, earning a spot on the All-SEC first team. If Texas ends up going on a run in Oklahoma City over the next week, its junior catcher will almost certainly have played a central role in it. As the Longhorns get ready for the WCWS, here's a closer look at their star player: Reese Atwood stats From virtually the moment she began playing for Texas as a freshman in 2023, Atwood has been an extraordinarily productive player. That has continued into her junior season, as she's hitting .416 with 21 home runs and 85 RBIs. She's first on the team in home runs and RBIs. Among all Division I players, she's first in RBIs and tied for 13th in home runs. Here's a look at Atwood's year-by-year stats: 2023 : .291 average, 11 home runs, 43 RBIs, eight doubles, 91 total bases, three walks, 29 strikeouts : .291 average, 11 home runs, 43 RBIs, eight doubles, 91 total bases, three walks, 29 strikeouts 2024 : .423 average, 23 home runs, 90 RBIs, 12 doubles, one triple, 163 total bases, 26 walks, 20 strikeouts : .423 average, 23 home runs, 90 RBIs, 12 doubles, one triple, 163 total bases, 26 walks, 20 strikeouts 2025: .416 average, 21 home runs, 85 RBIs, 12 doubles, three triples, 153 total bases, 40 walks, 17 strikeouts REQUIRED READING: Winners and losers from NCAA softball tournament super regionals: Oklahoma in WCWS again Reese Atwood awards Over her nearly three full college seasons, Atwood has earned a slew of accolades. Here's a sampling of some of her most notable achievements: USA Softball college player of the year top three finalist (2024) First team All-SEC (2025) Softball America first team All-America (2024, 2025) Softball America national player of the year (2024) National Fastpitch Coaches Association first team All-America (2024) D1Softball national player of the year (2024) Big 12 player of the year (2024) All-SEC defensive team (2025) All-Big 12 freshman team (2023) Reese Atwood height Atwood is listed on the official Texas roster at six feet tall. Reese Atwood high school A native of Sandia, Texas, just outside of Corpus Christi, Atwood was a star at Tuloso-Midway High School, where she was tied for the No. 1 catcher and tied for the No. 5 prospect nationally in the 2022 recruiting class, according to Extra Inning Softball. The Longhorns were the first major program to show interest in Atwood, who grew up dreaming of playing for Texas.
Time Magazine
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
Jeff Atwood
Nearly 250 wealthy philanthropists have signed the Giving Pledge, promising to donate at least half of their fortunes during their lifetimes or upon their death. Jeff Atwood (who's not a signatory) is doing them one better. Atwood, whose computer programming platform Stack Overflow was acquired by a global investment group for $1.8 billion in 2021, committed in a blog post this January to giving away half of his wealth in the next five years. And he's already started with a bang, contributing $1 million each to eight nonprofits this year, from the Children's Hunger Fund, which provides resources to local churches, to Team Rubicon, which mobilizes veterans to help Americans recover from natural disasters. Atwood's drive to give back stems from his own background, growing up poor and financing his college education through a combination of Pell grants, scholarships, and a minimum-wage job as a cashier. His next giving goal: to work with churches, community organizations and veterans groups to make direct cash payments to residents of poor counties in West Virginia, North Carolina, and Arizona. Studies have shown, he says, that this is one of the most effective ways to lift people out of poverty. 'It's not a handout,' he says. 'It's an investment in our fellow Americans.'
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Margaret Atwood's 10 best books – ranked!
After more than 30 years, Atwood caved to pleas to write a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. Not since Harry Potter had a publication caused such a sensation: computers were hacked in search of the manuscript and advance copies were kept under lock and key. With classic Atwood timing, the novel coincided with the phenomenal success of the TV adaptation of the original – not to mention the arrival of Trump at the White House. The Testaments won Atwood her second Booker prize, shared (controversially) with Bernardine Evaristo's Girl, Woman, Other. A world ravaged by a deadly global pandemic? Atwood got there first in her dystopian MaddAddam trilogy, which also includes The Year of the Flood (2009) and MaddAddam (2013). We meet Snowman, apparently the lone human survivor, along with genetically engineered smart pigs (pigoons) and the humanoid Crakers (untroubled by sexual desire and sunburn). Globalisation, rogue science and big tech are all targets for Atwood's satire. Reviewing The Year of the Flood in 2009, the late Ursula K Le Guin took her friend to task for resisting the label of science fiction. Atwood's many sci-fi fans may be cross it's not higher on this list. Atwood herself described it as 'a fun-filled, joke-packed, adventure story on the end of the human race'. After agreeing to rewrite The Tempest for Shakespeare's 400th anniversary, Atwood reread the original three times and then again, backwards. Betrayal, revenge, grief, freedom and creativity: you can see why this is the play she picked. Prospero's island becomes a prison in Canada in 2013, with Felix, the wronged artistic director of a theatre festival, mourning his daughter Miranda. 'So many contradictions to Prospero! Entitled aristocrat, modest hermit? Wise old mage, revengeful old poop?' Felix reflects. Atwood puts her own inimitable spin on the play. Atwood's first published novel, a satire on consumerism and misogyny, was written when she was 24, the dark result of 'speculating for some time about symbolic cannibalism', as you do. Atwood later insisted the novel was 'proto-feminist', because 'there was no women's movement in sight' when she wrote it in 1965. Thus began her unofficial role as feminist figurehead and soothsayer. Here we see her sharpening her teeth. 'Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge.' So opens Atwood's epic novel, told by 82-year-old Iris Chase. The book's key object is a steamer trunk, a fitting metaphor as Atwood throws everything into this story-within-a-story-within-a-story: the social and political upheavals of 20th -century Canadian history; a host of narrative tricks (flashbacks, multiple time schemes); and a mix of genres including sci-fi, whodunnit and romance. According to the New Yorker's Michiko Kakutani, of all Atwood's novels, The Blind Assassin 'is most purely a work of entertainment'. It won her the Booker prize for the first time. Atwood became a writer when a poem suddenly came to her on a school football pitch when she was 16. Paper Boat brings together 60 years' worth of poems from her first collection, Double Persephone (1961), to her last, Dearly, published in 2020, the year after the death of her partner of 48 years, Graeme Gibson. As the years pass, youthful questioning gives way to grief and wisdom. Atwood has called poetry 'the most joyful' of literary forms, and it is here, perhaps, that you see the writer at her most gentle and unguarded. 'How to keep track of the days? / Each one shining, each one alone? Each one then gone. / I've kept some of them in a drawer on paper, / those days fading now.' The environment, democracy, women's rights – these are just some of the urgent issues addressed in this collection of Atwood's essays written this century (at one point she was averaging 40 pieces a year). Here you will find tips on how to be a writer (look after your back) and how to escape a crocodile (zigzag), alongside celebrations of authors and the musician Laurie Anderson. Atwood is interested in everything: from the sex lives of snails to the future of the planet, nothing is too small or vast. Many of these essays were lectures, but you never feel you are being lectured. No one combines intellect, straight-talking and silliness like Atwood – sometimes all in the same sentence. Her motto: 'Tell. The. Truth.' In 1843 Toronto, Grace Marks, an Irish Canadian scullery maid, was convicted for the double murders of her employer and his mistress. This notorious case was the inspiration for the Booker-shortlisted Alias Grace. Temptress or victim? Power, truth and the slipperiness of history, some of Atwood's favourite themes are here. The question of believing a woman's story assumed a heightened resonance with the 2017 TV adaptation, which landed in the midst of the #MeToo revelations. Hilary Mantel described Alias Grace as 'impressive at a horribly deep level' – you can't argue with that. 'Little girls are not made of sugar and spice and everything nice,' Atwood said of Cat's Eye. She is the least autobiographical of novelists, but Cat's Eye draws on her shock at leaving the Canadian outback, where she roamed wild with her elder brother, to attend school for the first time in Toronto. The narrator Elaine is thrown into 'a whole world of girls and their doings', with schoolmate Cordelia the original mean girl. Cat's Eye captures the byzantine hierarchies and covert cruelties of schoolgirl politics, usually overlooked by literature. Wolf Hall for prepubescent girls. Heartbreaking and terrifying. Atwood's feminist dystopia has entered the popular imagination as well as the canon. Even if you've never read the novel or seen the TV series, you will know that it imagines America in the grip of a theocracy where women are enslaved for their fertility. Atwood wrote the novel in Berlin in 1984 – of course she did – in response to the regressive US Reagan government, but not even she could have predicted its second life post-Trump. Famously, she didn't include anything that hadn't happened somewhere in the world already. 'If I was to create an imaginary garden, I wanted the toads in it to be real,' she wrote. Today, the pond is even murkier and the toads are bigger and uglier. All together now: 'Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.' To explore any of the books featured, visit Delivery charges may apply.
