Media Advisory: Canadian author, social campaigner Margaret Atwood to speak at UB

Canadian author, poet, critic and social campaigner Margaret Atwood will speak at 8 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 3, 2010) in the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts as part of the 2009-10 Distinguished Speakers Series.

Among the most-honored authors of fiction recently, Atwood has written more than 35 volumes of poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and is perhaps best known for her novels, which include The Edible Woman, The Handmaid's Tale, The Robber Bride and The Blind Assassin, which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2000. Her newest novel, The Year of the Flood, was released in 2009.

Acclaimed for her talent for portraying both personal problems and those of universal concern, Atwood has been said to have an uncanny knack for writing books that anticipate the preoccupations of the public.

During Atwood's lecture, audio and/or visual photography, as well as still photography, will be limited to the first five minutes of the program.

Working media may reserve tickets for the program by contacting Christine Vidal in the Office of University Communications, at 645-4607 no later than noon today (Wednesday, March 3, 2010). Reserved tickets may be picked up at the will-call window in the UB Center for the Arts prior to the lecture. Media may be required to show press credentials in order to be admitted to the lecture.

Press arrangements: Patricia Donovan onsite at 628-0604.