Masterclass

Munro, who was recently awarded the Man Booker International Price for her body of work, gave up on retirement to write Too Much Happiness (Douglas Gibson Books), released on August 29. Within this captivating compilation of short fiction, Munro veers from the familiar territory of examining the lives of ordinary women to edgier stories of child murders, strange sex and terrifying crimes. In an interesting turn of events, Munro has withdrawn her name from consideration for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, an action her publisher attributes to her desire to open up the award for younger writers.

Atwood's latest, to be released on September 12, is The Year of the Flood. Taking place during the same time span as her recent novel Oryx and Crake, Atwood offers a grim imagining of a not-so-distant future, where man's capacity for self-destruction leads to cata strophic events. The story follows two women, who may be the lone survivors of this disaster. The Year of the Flood is a brilliant portrait of humanity, exploring its glories and foibles.

So, don't say you can't find anything good to read next time you're at the library or bookstore. Whether it's short stories or novels, these two literary giants deliver the goods.

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