FROM A DEPAUL UNIVERSITY NEWS RELEASE
MARGARET ATWOOD PRESENTS DRAMATIC READING, WITH MUSIC, FROM
HER NEW NOVEL, "THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD," AT DEPAUL'S MERLE RESKIN
THEATRE NOV. 6
Only Midwest Stop on Her International Book Tour
Acclaimed author Margaret Atwood will present a 70-minute dramatic reading from her new novel, "The Year of the Flood," backed by a troupe of actors and a choir, at DePaul University Nov. 6.
Hosted by DePaul's English department, the innovative book-launch event will be staged at the DePaul's Merle Reskin Theatre, 60 E. Balbo Drive, Chicago, at 7:30 p.m.
The only Midwest stop on the 10-city American leg of Atwood's international book tour will feature the celebrated Canadian author narrating scenes, which will be performed by local actors, from her long-awaited 13th novel. The post-apocalyptic tale focuses on God's Gardeners, a small group of survivors of a man-made environmental disaster depicted in an earlier Atwood novel, "Oryx and Crake."
Isolated in a corrupt, menacing dystopia, where gene-spliced life forms proliferate, God's Gardeners try to reconcile religion, science and nature, and express their beliefs in hymns. Atwood and California singer-songwriter Orville Stoeber partnered to compose lyrics and music for these hymns, which will be performed live by a choir at the event ( and are available on the CD, "Hymns of the God's Gardeners" ) . A book-signing by the Booker Prize-winning author will follow the performance.
Event organizer Anne Clark Bartlett, a DePaul English professor who has taught a course on Atwood's works, said the university is honored and excited to be chosen to host Atwood's only book launch performance in the region.
"As a writer, she's a rock star," Clark Bartlett said. "We look forward to hosting what promises to be one of the most compelling literary events of the year."
Tickets are $20 and go on sale Sept. 22. A portion of the proceeds will benefit non-for-profit environmental organizations. For tickets and information, contact DePaul's Merle Reskin box office at ( 312 ) 922-1999.