Words At Large

Margaret Atwood and Ian Rankin

Posted by Words At Large Admin on October 31 at 08:37 AM

Laughs aplenty at this year's PEN Benefit.

The 450 seat Premiere Dance Theatre in Toronto was sold out on October 17th as people paid $125 each to quoff drinks and listen to Margaret Atwood and Ian Rankin.

It was the annual PEN Benefit event held at this year’s International Festival of Authors and all the money raised went to support PEN’s work supporting writers in exile. CBC was one of the sponsors.

Margaret Atwood and Ian Rankin(photo: International Reading at Harbourfront Centre) Taking the role of interviewer was Canada’s own literary superstar Margaret Atwood.

As well as being an award-winning author internationally--Margaret Atwood is one of the founding members of PEN Canada. And she’s recently been elected a vice-president of PEN International.

She took on the role of interviewer at this event easily breaking the ice with both the audience and her subject - Scottish crime-writer Ian Rankin. The best selling author traded her laugh for laugh while they discussed his latest novel Exit Music. Then the floor was opened to questions from the audience.

Comments

I like looking at this as I'm an avid reader and I've read almost everything by both authors. I would have loved to have listened to this interview.

I look at this site regularly as it keeps me in contact with what's happening in bookland in Canada.

cheers,

Posted by: Peggy O'Neill | November 4, 2007 05:38 AM

Interesting that Pen also appears to support writers who have recently been convicted of fraud. It's a credibility issue and by supporting the promotion of CB's Nixon book shortly after his conviction, Atwood appears to value friendship over "doing the right thing". After all CB has said about the Canadian public at large it's shameful how some people like Atwood think their support will go unnoticed by Canadians.

Posted by: jade_lee | November 4, 2007 12:02 PM

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