“Before the Civil War, Canada was at the top of the underground railroad. If you made it into Canada, you were safe unless someone came and hauled you back. That was also true during the Vietnam War for draft resisters.”

Canadian novelist and poet of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, she is best known for her dystopian fiction, particularly *The Handmaid’s Tale*, which explores themes of oppression, resistance, and the fragility of power. Her work also spans speculative fiction, literary criticism, and environmental commentary, often blending sharp social observation with poetic precision.