You cannot be serious!I WANT SOME!
This morning I got an email notice from Chapters Books [a.k.a. !ndigo], announcing a new blend of coffee inspired by, and endorsed by one of my favourite authors ever -- Margaret Atwood.
Here's the lowdown:
In a partnership with Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, Canadian author and birdlife protector Margaret Atwood has created an artisanal roasted blend of Latin American Fair Trade and organic shade-grown coffee. Rich with flavour and aroma, this mild blend has a smooth and subtle caramel finish that will appeal to all of your senses. $1.00 of the proceeds from each bag will be donated to Pelee Island Bird Observatory, a non-profit organization devoted to the study and conservation of migratory birds.
I'm excited about this and can't wait to drink some.
Along with this coffee news, Her Royal Maggieness also has a new book coming out soon [in about two weeks]. It's a book of essays about the genre of science-fiction writing, called In Other Worlds.
Funny story --> Earlier this week I struck up a conversation with a total stranger just because I saw that he was reading Salman Rushdie [Midnight's Children]. Most of our conversation focused on "foreign" authors that we mutually admire. I focussed heavily on Jose Saramago.
As we parted ways he asked what I was currently reading, which was Linden MacIntyre's Cape Breton based book, The Bishop's Man. My friend immediately said that he loathes "Canadian authors" to which I vehemently countered with my opinion that Canada can boast some of the greatest authors living today!
He said, "Well, PLEASE don't tell me that you like……….. " [there was literally a pause, but I KNEW what he was going to say, so I said it for him…] "Margaret Atwood?"
I could tell by his sudden apoplexy that I had indeed hit the mark!
"Oh, I LOVE her," I said. "I've read practically everything she's ever written and I love all of it."
To which my new friend could not get out of my presence fast enough. It was as though I had just negated everything I had previously said about fine literature in our day!
Ah, well -- I don't care what anyone says, I love Margaret Atwood.
I've met her several times and she is always so friendly, witty, and almost inhumanly intelligent. I look forward to everything she writes, and now I can look forward to drinking her coffee!
******
10 comments:
I also LOVE Margaret Atwood! Viva Canadian authors. I've got to get this coffee! Thanks.
It boggles my mind when I come across someone who doesn't like either of the two canadian Margarets, either Atwood or Laurence. They're the best of the best. And then there's all those other terrific canadian writers.
I don't think you should be friends with him anymore.
C.
"The Atwood Blend." Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
I'll be watching for it at my local Starbucks - and also on the look-out for her latest book.
I love Atwood too and I am so looking forward to her new book. October 11th is the pub date in the States. You will totally have to do a review of the coffee!
D.B. and C.:
Thank you for agreeing with me that Maggie rocks!
And "C" -- I totally agree, I have really enjoyed the four or so Margaret Laurence novels I have read.
CANADA HAS GOOD AUTHORS, I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS!
Beth:
There's still time to grab several pounds of Atwood Blend and serve it at the wedding tomorrow!
Stefanie:
Yep, it is the same release date here in Canada. Even though I am not a real sci-fi junkie, still -- anything Maggie writes is [in my opinion] worthwhile reading!
Beth:
Ooops! Your son's wedding was LAST week -- I just checked your blog again.
Oh well ---- buy him some of this coffee anyway!
I love Atwood and Saramago (well, Blindness anyway, I still haven't read anything else). I once struck up a conversation with a girl in a bar who was reading Paul Coelho's The Alchemist. I thought it amazing she could be so into a book to be able to ignore where she was like that and vowed to read the book myself. Egad. Never trust someone reading in a bar.
As for the coffee, I have to admit being somewhat torn. I'm somewhat of an anti-capitalist-- not out there protesting G7 summits or anything, but not crazy about the idea of branding. I'll give her credit for picking a fair trade, organic blend and that the proceeds go to charity, but those facts would convince me more to buy it than the fact that Atwood's name is attached. I'm a fan of her writing, can't say I've ever even considered her taste in coffee.
Haha! What a guy. For a school library archives assignment I had to look up Margaret Atwood; I thought of you!
John:
Oh, I do encourage you to read more Saramago. He is my favorite author. I still mourn his passing away.
And as for Coelho -- I don't mind an author couching "messages" in his novels [hell, I love Steinbeck] but I think Coelho overdoes it!
confirmseverything:
Hah! I'm glad I could inspire memories..... of.... myself..[??].. in some dingy old school library archive.
I do too ... though she's scarily acute and astute. I've seen her live but not met her. I reckon your acquaintance's attitude could be what we down under call "the tall poppy syndrome".
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