"The After Show with McKensie Stewart and Amy Shannon" ran episode 9 of chapter 10 Friday night at 6:30 PM Eastern time on Blog Talk Radio https://www.blogtalkradio.com/wetheaftershow/2022/04/22/chapter-10-episode-9-literary-censorship-segment
The Literary Dynamic Duo had their first segment of Literary Censorship. The duo discussed the book, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. They also discussed the author, the book itself, and compared it to modern day and even the not-so-distant path of slavery. It was indeed an in depth conversation.
Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale
Genre: Dystopian, drama, women
About the Book:
In Margaret Atwood’s dystopian future, environmental disasters and declining birthrates have led to the Second American Civil War. The result is the rise of the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian regime that enforces rigid social roles and enslaves the few remaining fertile women. Offred is one of these, a Handmaid bound to produce children for one of Gilead’s commanders. Deprived of her husband, her child, her freedom, and even her own name, Offred clings to her memories and her will to survive. At once a scathing satire, an ominous warning, and a tour de force of narrative suspense, The Handmaid’s Tale is a modern classic.
The Review:
5 Stars
Incredible dystopian story that just makes you really think.
What a remarkable story in The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. This is the first book of Atwood's that I've read. I have to admit it's been on my bookshelf for quite a while, and I have been meaning to read it, but other reads came first. So, I finally sat down and read this book. At first, I wasn't sure what the story was about, what a Handmaid was, and then, you figure it out as you go along. This is a world when women weren't anything but baby making machines for other women who was one of the "Wives" who couldn't have children. The world had been taken over, by powerless men with guns, yes, the rise of the Republic of Gilead has begun. Here she was in this town that used to be a university town. The handmaids wore red with white hats with wings that covered most of their faces. There were also what she referred to as the "Marthas" which pretty much were the cooks, and others, had names. Even the handmaids, who could remember, once had names, now they were referred to as Of (and then the name of the man they belonged to, at least until a child was born, or the handmaids were no longer able to have children. Offred lost her name, her child, her husband, and her mother, but she holds on tight to those memories. Even though sometimes she tells her story how she wishes it was, but then she tells it how she remembers it. How she lived it. I know there is a show based on this, and eventually, I will watch it. If you have watched it, read the book too. If you haven't watched it, I recommend reading the book first. Masterfully written! This author not only tells the story but shows it with words as well. And the ending is very unpredictable. The Handmaid's Tale is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I will add more of this author's books to my bookshelf. This book is on a list of banned books. I also recommend reading the historical research at the back of the book. I found it most interesting.
Thanks for listening and don't forget to catch us on our next episode, where we're doing our segment, Write to Reel. We air EVERY Friday for a whole hour, without interruption.
McKensie Stewart and Amy Shannon