‘Handmaid’s Tale’ author says left attacks her more than right over politics

“The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood told CBS’ “60 Minutes” that she receives more backlash from critics on the left than from the right for not pushing politics the correct way.

While discussing her new memoir, “Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts,” the 85-year-old author was asked about criticism her dystopian novel has faced since its 1985 release.

Though Atwood’s work has been praised and embraced by people on the political left, she surprised “60 Minutes” correspondent Jon Wertheim by saying she has “always” faced more attacks from the left.

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“I think the right thinks I’m irrelevant,” Atwood said. “The left thinks that I should have been preaching their sermon, whatever it may happen to be, and that I am therefore a traitor for not having done that which they themselves would do.”

She joked that any response she has to left-wing critics was “unprintable” but added that it involved “a finger.”

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Left-wing protesters have often dressed as handmaids from “The Handmaid’s Tale” to demonstrate against the Trump administration, most notably in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022.

During the interview, Atwood suggested the United States was on the path to totalitarianism, calling it “concerning.”

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“There are certain things totalitarian coups always do,” Atwood said. “One of them is trying to control the media. But the other thing is making the judicial arm part of the executive. In other words, judges just do what the chief guy tells them to.”

“The Handmaid’s Tale” saw renewed popularity after Hulu’s series adaptation premiered in 2017, during President Donald Trump’s first term. The show’s sixth and final season debuted in April 2025.

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Atwood released a sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale” titled “The Testaments” in 2019. A Hulu adaptation of “The Testaments” is set to premiere in March 2026.