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The Handmaid's Tale

by Margaret Atwood

2 books Started 1986 Latest 2019
Publication Reading Order

The The Handmaid's Tale is a Science Fiction / Literary Fiction series by Margaret Atwood, made up of 2 books published between 1986 and 2019. It begins with The Handmaid's Tale (1986), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is The Testaments (2019), spanning 33 years of storytelling.

2books
33years active
2decades
~33yrs between books
2019latest release
# Title Year Buy
1980s
1 The Handmaid's Tale 🏆 Audie Award 2013🏆 Arthur C. Clarke Award 1987🏆 Los Angeles Times Book Prize 1986🏆 Governor General's Literary Awards 1985CBC Canada Reads 2002James Tiptree Jr. Award 1995Locus Award 1987Prometheus Award 1987+5 moreFull award history → 1986 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2010s
2 The TestamentsLatest 🏆 Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) 2020🏆 Booker Prize 2019🏆 Goodreads Choice Award 2019Locus Award 2020Audie Award 2020Prometheus Award 2020British Book Award 2020Scotiabank Giller Prize 2019Full award history → 2019 Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia

The Handmaid's Tale series: frequently asked questions

What order should I read the The Handmaid's Tale series?

Start with The Handmaid's Tale (1986), the first book in the The Handmaid's Tale series by Margaret Atwood. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.

How many books are in the The Handmaid's Tale series?

There are 2 books in the The Handmaid's Tale series by Margaret Atwood, published between 1986 and 2019.

What is the first book in the The Handmaid's Tale series?

The first book in the The Handmaid's Tale series is The Handmaid's Tale, published in 1986 by Margaret Atwood.

What is the latest book in the The Handmaid's Tale series?

The most recent book in the The Handmaid's Tale series is The Testaments (2019) by Margaret Atwood.

More books by Margaret Atwood View all series and reading orders →
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About Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood, born in 1939 in Ottawa, Canada, is an acclaimed author, poet, and environmental activist. Known for her powerful, feminist, and dystopian works, Atwood's notable novels include "The Handmaid's Tale" (1985), the Man Booker Prize-winning "Oryx and Crake" trilogy (2003-2013), and "The Testaments" (2019). Her poetry collections, including "Power Politics" (1971) and "Morning in the Burned House" (1995), have garnered critical praise. Atwood has received numerous awards, including multiple Governor General's Awards, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Man Booker International Prize, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her works have been widely translated and adapted for film and television. Critically acclaimed for her thought-provoking insights into social and environmental issues, Atwood is considered one of the most influential contemporary authors. Her works challenge societal norms and explore themes of power, oppression, and the future of humanity.

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About the Handmaid's Tale series

Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale is a landmark of dystopian literature — and, with its sequel, a two-book story. In the theocratic republic of Gilead, which has overthrown the United States, fertile women are enslaved as "Handmaids" forced to bear children for the ruling class. Offred's quiet, devastating narration exposes the regime from the inside.

Atwood's power lies in plausibility: she famously included nothing that hadn't already happened somewhere in history. The novel is chilling, controlled and unforgettable, and the Hulu adaptation made it a global touchstone.

Read "The Handmaid's Tale," then the Booker-winning sequel "The Testaments," set fifteen years later and told through three voices as cracks appear in Gilead. Together they form a complete arc.