The Handmaid's Tale

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk ... (more)

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that in gone now. (less)

In this Orwellian dramatization, religion becomes a tool of repression and social control to force women into the roles ... (more)

In this Orwellian dramatization, religion becomes a tool of repression and social control to force women into the roles of stay-at-home wives, domestic staff, prostitutes, or surrogate mothers. They have no rights to their bodies or property and are completely dependent upon men. Those women who have had at least one child find themselves forced into the role of breeding machine, producing children for childless couples. References to 20th-century issues abound, including Agent Orange, abortion, women's rights, and escape attempts to Canada. (less)

"Margaret Atwood's best-loved novel has taken the world by storm again. Riding high on bestseller lists for months and t... (more)

"Margaret Atwood's best-loved novel has taken the world by storm again. Riding high on bestseller lists for months and the basis for Hulu's Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning smash hit series, The Handmaid's Tale is everywhere--and it's primed for a stunning new graphic novel adaptation. The story is iconic: In the Republic of Gilead, a Handmaid named Offred lives in the home of the Commander, to the purpose that she become pregnant with his child. Stripped of her most basic freedoms, (work, property, her own name), Offred remembers a different time, not so long ago, when she was valuable for more than her viable ovaries, when she was mother to a daughter she could keep, and when she and her husband lived and loved as equals. Darkly prescient, scathingly sarcastic, and eminently frightening, The Handmaid's Tale has only gained relevance since it was originally published, and remains one of the most powerful, widely read stories of our times. This illustrated edition is a must-have for Atwood's growing legions of fans"-- (less)

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Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk ... (more)

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now. (less)

"Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States, now called the Republic of Gilead, a mono... (more)

"Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States, now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men of its population."-- (less)

Set in the near future, the handmaids of the title are women who can still bear children after the ravages of war caused... (more)

Set in the near future, the handmaids of the title are women who can still bear children after the ravages of war caused wide-spread sterility. One of the handmaids, Kate, is caught trying to escape the Republic of Gilead and sent to the prison-like training center. She is sent from there to the home of the commander to bear his child, but revolutionary forces have other plans for her! (less)

A religion-based autocracy has taken over most of the United States, renaming the country Gilead. In this country women ... (more)

A religion-based autocracy has taken over most of the United States, renaming the country Gilead. In this country women are second-class citizens. Anyone trying to escape is punished. One such person is June, who is captured while trying to escape with her husband and child and is sentenced to be a handmaid, bearing children for childless government officials. As a handmaid, June is renamed Offred. (less)

The Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama series returns with a second season shaped by Offred's pregnancy and her o... (more)

The Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama series returns with a second season shaped by Offred's pregnancy and her ongoing fight to free her future child from the dystopian horrors of Gilead. In season two, Offred and all our characters will fight against or succumb to this dark truth. (less)

Handmaid June finds herself once again in resistance to the dystopian regime of Gilead after opting not to flee to Canad... (more)

Handmaid June finds herself once again in resistance to the dystopian regime of Gilead after opting not to flee to Canada with her baby at the end of the second season. Now, she will struggle to strike back against the regime despite overwhelming odds. This season there are startling reunions, betrayals and a journey to the terrifying heart of Gilead that will force all of the characters to take a stand, guided by one defiant prayer: Blessed be the fight. (less)

In Season Four, June strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring dangerous new c... (more)

In Season Four, June strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring dangerous new challenges, and her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her. (less)