Reigning Queen of Dystopian Literature Margaret Atwood is stepping up her game from merely writing about the future to writing a book that can only be read IN THE FUTURE! According to reports from i09 and Pacific Standard, Atwood’s book will be shrouded in mystery by something called Future Library until 100 years from now, when it will be unleashed upon the world. Future Library, based in Norway, will solicit a book from a different writer every year from now until 2114, when the books will be published. Even crazier, the books will be made from paper that will come from trees currently growing in a forest that the city of Oslo “gifted” to the project.
HIGH CONCEPT. You can read all about it in the Pacific Standard piece, which is exhaustive, or here, or just watch this video of Margaret Atwood discussing communication across space and time:
Margaret Atwood – the first writer for Future Library from Katie Paterson on Vimeo.
So, to recap, this is happening: writing ACROSS SPACE AND TIME and an actual forest currently growing right now FOR FUTURE ART. I guess all other art news can pack up and go home; it is not going to get more surreally great than this. Eat your greens, everyone! You’ve got a long time to wait if, like me, you want to make your Atwood collection truly comprehensive.