The Spire

Kate Santini ‘27

News Editor

The Hanify-Howland Lecture Committee is excited to welcome two-time Booker Prize recipient and literary icon Margaret Atwood to give its 58th annual lecture. Each year, the Committee receives funding from Holy Cross alums to select and host a speaker distinguished in the realm of public service.

With over 50 publications and several television adaptations of her work, Atwood is arguably one of the most well-read writers of the contemporary age. The New York Times once described her as possessing a “dry, ironic wit, a poetic sensibility and more than a hint of the Gothic” and as excelling in “uncompromisingly observ[ing] the psychology of people in her society.” 

Atwood is perhaps best known for The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) which follows a female protagonist living in a totalitarian society where women’s bodies are systematically commodified for reproductive purposes. The novel has since been adapted into an award-winning television series on Hulu and given a sequel titled The Testaments (2019). Like many of Atwood’s novels, The Handmaid’s Tale tackles themes relevant in today’s society including the patriarchy, exploitation, and the dangers of totalitarianism. Other well-known publications include Alias Grace (1996), a murder mystery that was also converted into a television series, and her critically acclaimed memoir Book of Lives (2025).

According to Committee co-chair Evan Garcia ‘26, “Atwood stood out to the Committee for several reasons, including her status as a profound–and oftentimes predictive–voice on key social and political challenges, such as climate change, gender equality, and democratic backsliding.” 

Fellow co-chair Keara Papa ‘26, explained that the Committee was faced with a particularly challenging decision when choosing this year’s speaker. Given the tense political climate, the Committee hoped to host someone who “use[s] their work to address social and political issues, such as threats to democracy, gender equality, and the ethics of emerging technically.” The Committee ultimately felt that Atwood’s extensive career, which began back in the 1960s, encompasses these themes and will serve as a touch stone for students to address them. Papa expressed that as a Jesuit institution, we share the collective task of “critically engag[ing] with difficult questions” and that “Atwood’s writing serves as a vessel for these types of conversations.”

The lecture will take place on Tuesday, April 21 in the Hogan Ballroom shortly after The Testaments adaptation begins airing on Hulu. The television series will follow a weekly release schedule beginning on April 8, meaning that those in attendance will be some of the first to hear Atwood’s take on the series. In addition to Atwood, the 1978 Holy Cross graduate and leading actor in The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments series, Ann Dowd, will be in attendance and answer student questions prior to the lecture.

Garcia, who previously enjoyed reading The Handmaid’s Tale, plans on reading “some of Atwood’s other books (such as the Blind Assassin and Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts)” in preparation for Atwood’s arrival on campus. He is impressed with the author’s “diverse body of literature” which includes “poetry, critical analysis, and novels on themes such as gender, religion, environmental justice, authoritarianism, technology, and human psychology.” Garcia hopes that those planning to attend the lecture will follow in his footsteps by engaging with and thinking critically about Atwood’s vast body of work. 

The lecture will be open to the entire Worcester community and other outside attendees, meaning that seating will operate on a first come, first serve basis. Due to limited seating, it is highly recommended that Holy Cross students and faculty members arrive early to avoid standing.

Garcia urges “the Holy Cross Community [to] come to this event to hear from one of the most celebrated authors in literary history.” Speaking on behalf of the Committee, he adds that “regardless of your background, major, interests, we are confident that you will gain something in attending this event.” Any further questions pertaining to the lecture or the events leading up to it can be directed at hanify-howland@holycross.edu. Be sure to mark your calendars for April 21 and stay tuned for more schoolwide updates on the event.

Featured image courtesy of The New Yorker

Copy Edited by Lauren Zerella ‘29