Classic Twists: Atonement

Toronto Public Library

Join critics James Wood and Krithika Varagur as they discuss Ian McEwan's masterpiece with host Rebecca Panovka.

"When I am dead, we will only exist as my inventions."Published in 2001, Ian Ewan's Atonement is structured as a triptych. The first section, set in 1935, introduces us to a creative 13-year-old named Briony Tallis with a talent for writing, who becomes engrossed in a love affair between her sister and the housekeeoer's son. The affair being beyond her comprehension, it leads her to an unspeakable act, irrevocably altering the lives of everyone involved. In the second section, set in World War Two, we depart from Briony's perspective, tracing how her act has resounded through the lives of other characters – only to return to her in the third section, set in 1999, a masterful handling of how the events have shaped Briony's imagination and her burgeoning artistic practice.At once a shape-shifting exploration of the nature of time and a metafictional inquiry into the essence of fiction itself, Atonement stands as one of the classics of contemporary literature. In this instalment of Rebecca Panovka's series on Classic Twists, she's joined by critics James Wood and Krithika Varagur to tease out the threads of McEwan's beguiling masterpiece.ABOUT THIS EVENT'S GUESTS:James Wood is Professor of the Practice of Literary Criticism at Harvard University and a staff writer at The New Yorker. His novels and works of criticism include How Fiction Works, The Nearest Thing to Life, and most recently, Upstate. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.Krithika Varagur is a writer and critic in New York. She is the author of The Call: The Global Saudi Religious Project, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, the London Review of Books, the New York Review of Books, and The Paris Review.Rebecca Panovka is a founding editor of The Drift. Her essays and criticism have appeared in Harper's, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Bookforum, Dissent, The Paris Review, The Drift, and elsewhere.***Important information for accessing this live virtual event: <ul><li>You must register for a free ticket via Eventbrite to gain access to this event. </li><li>This event will be presented in a Zoom Webinar. Once registered, you will receive reminder emails from both Zoom and Eventbrite with links and instructions to access your unique Zoom Webinar link to watch this event. </li><li>At the time of the event, you must be signed in to Zoom or Eventbrite with the same email address that you used to book your ticket in order to access your unique event link. Unique event links can only be open on one device at a time.</li></ul>***This event is made possible in part from a gift from the Ann Thoburn Fund.***Accessibility at Toronto Public LibraryWe are committed to making our content accessible to as many Torontonians as possible. Please call or email us if you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation to participate in this program. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request. At least three weeks' notice is preferred. Phone 416-393-7099 or email accessibleservices@tpl.ca

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Classic Twists: Atonement

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