Paper Boat: New and Selected Poems, 1961–2023

Atwood’s luminous collection of poems (her latest since 2020’s Dearly) captures the evolution of one of contemporary literature’s most influential voices. The poems limn Atwood’s six-decade career, continually revisiting themes such as transformation, existence, and the tension between life and death. Her poems span a wide emotional range and are delivered in the audio version by Atwood herself, in her wry and grimly witty voice. This volume includes texts from all 14 of Atwood’s previous poetry collections, some previously unpublished works from her earliest years, and two dozen poems that are brand-new. Each poem highlights Atwood’s extraordinary talent, touching on any one of a myriad topics as she pushes language to reveal hidden truths and transforms daily images into revelations. Listeners will encounter figures both mythic and contemporary, from goddesses to a tinwoodswoman to the author herself, with each bringing unique insight into humankind’s fear and joys.