‘Handmaid’s Tale’ author says left attacks her more than right over politics
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“The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood told CBS’ “60 Minutes” that she’s received more backlash from critics on the left than from those on the right for not getting politics right.
While discussing his new memoir, “The Book of Lives: A Memoir of a Kind,” the 85-year-old author was asked about the criticism he has faced since his dystopian novel was published in 1985.
Although Atwood’s work has been praised and embraced by people on the political left, she surprised “60 Minutes” reporter Jon Wertheim by saying that she “always” faces more attacks from the left.
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Author Margaret Atwood spoke to “60 Minutes” about her latest memoir. (Leonardo Cendamo/Getty Images)
“I think the right-wingers think I’m unimportant,” Atwood said. “The left thinks I should be preaching to them no matter what, and therefore I’m a traitor for not doing what they would do.”
He joked that any response he had to left-wing critics was “unprintable” but added that it involved “fingering.”
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Left-wing protesters are particularly concerned about the Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate Roe v. in 2022. They often dressed as maids from “The Handmaid’s Tale” to demonstrate against the Trump administration in response to its overturning of the Wade case.
Demonstrators dressed as maids from the movie “The Handmaid’s Tale” participate in an anti-Trump protest to commemorate one year since the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump on November 5, 2025 in Washington, DC, USA. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
During the interview, Atwood suggested that the United States was on the path to totalitarianism, calling it “concerning.”
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“There are certain things that totalitarian coups always do,” Atwood said. “One is trying to control the media. The other is to make the judicial branch part of the executive branch. That is, judges just do whatever the chief says.”
“The Handmaid’s Tale” regained popularity after Hulu’s series adaptation aired in 2017 during President Donald Trump’s first term. The sixth and final season of the series premiered in April 2025.
Protesters compared the United States under Trump to a dystopian novel. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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In 2019, Atwood released a sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale” titled “The Testaments.” The Hulu adaptation of “The Testaments” is set to premiere in March 2026.
