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Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth Paperback – January 1, 2008

4.3 out of 5 stars 225 ratings
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Collected here, the Massey Lectures from legendary novelist Margaret Atwood investigate the highly topical subject of debt, exploring debt as an ancient and central motif in religion, literature, and the structure of human societies.
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  1. Print length
    230 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    House of Anansi Pr
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.5 x 7.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0887848109
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0887848100
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Editorial Reviews

Review

...a fascinating, freewheeling examination of ideas of debt, balance and revenge in history, society and literature - Atwood has again struck upon our most current anxieties. (London Times Online 2008-10-08)

...an extraordinarily vibrant Massey Lecture on debt, how it plays a motor force in much literature, in our own lives and in the machinations of the crowd we elect to govern us. (Maclean's 2008-10-08)

...witty, acutely argued and almost freakishly prescient...as amusing as it is unsettling. (Chicago Tribune 2008-10-08)

...these pieces offer a panoramic look at how the concept of debt acts as a fundamental human bond and - when obligations go unfulfilled, when ledgers are left unbalanced - how it can threaten to tear societies apart. (Georgia Straight 2008-10-08)

A celebrated novelist, poet, and critic, Atwood has combined rigorous analysis, wide-ranging erudition, and a beguilingly playful imagination to produce the most probing and thought-stirring commentary on the financial crisis to date. (John Gray New York Review of Books 2009-04-01)

Atwood's book is a weird but wonderful melange of personal reminiscences, literary walkabout, moral preachment, timely political argument, economic history and theological query, all bound together with wry wit and careful though casual-seeming research.††††††† (Publishers Weekly 2008-09-08)

In Payback, Atwood freely mixes autobiography, literary criticism and anthropology in an examination of debt as a concept deeply rooted in human - and even, in some cases, animal - behaviour...Building an argument that abounds with literary examples...Atwood entertainingly and often wryly advances the familiar thesis that what goes around comes around. (Toronto Star 2008-10-08)

Payback is a delightfully engaging, smart, funny, clever, and terrifying analysis of the role debt plays in our culture, our consciousness, our economy, our ecology and, if Atwood is right, our future. (Washington Post 2008-11-08)

...[Payback is]...a demonstration of Atwood's ability to evoke in memorable detail our vanished cultural past, and to examine both past and present in the form of language. Writing in this mode, she's never off her game. (National Post 2008-10-08)

...[Payback is] elegant and erudite...As one would expect from a novelist of Ms Atwood's calibre, the phrasing is polished and the metaphors striking. (Economist.com 2008-10-08)

...replete with anecdotes and opinions, witticisms and barbs...Payback is more about economic principles, and even the market crisis, than it appears at first glance. As impressive as Atwood's intuitions, or her intellect, or even her humour, is her insistence on tracing responsibilities, and possibilities, back to those human, and thus imaginative, constructions. (Globe and Mail 2008-10-08)

Elegant and erudite...As one would expect from a novelist of Ms. Atwood's calibre, the phrasing is polished and the metaphors striking. (Economist 2008-10-01)

Nothing if not timely...Few writers are able to combine the esoteric with the polemic as [Atwood] does...darkly entertaining. (Winnipeg Free Press 2008-11-08)

Payback is a stimulating, learned and stylish read from an eminent author writing from a heartfelt perspective. (Conrad Black Literary Review of Canada 2008-11-08)

The lectures remind us of why Atwood has been so important to our literature. (Financial Post 2008-10-01)

There has been much written about Atwood's 'prophetic vision' and her ability to be eerily 'prescient'...given Atwood's track record, I'm a believer...Either Atwood was born under a lucky star or she really should be moonlighting from a shady storefront with a sign that says 'Palm Readings: $25.' (Rebecca Eckler 2009-02-09)

"Ms. Atwood is a witty and astute writer of broad sympathy and wide-ranging curiosity, and the prose of the book, at once commonsensical and counterintuitive, bristles with insight and implication." (A.O. Scott New York Times 2012-04-25)

About the Author

MARGARET ATWOOD, whose work has been published in more than forty-five countries, is the author of more than fifty books of fiction, poetry, critical essays, and graphic novels. Her latest novel, The Testaments, is the long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, now an award-winning TV series. Her other works of fiction include Cat’s Eye, finalist for the 1989 Booker Prize; Alias Grace, which won the Giller Prize in Canada and the Premio Mondello in Italy; The Blind Assassin, winner of the 2000 Booker Prize; The MaddAddam Trilogy; and Hag-Seed. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the Franz Kafka International Literary Prize, the PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Los Angeles Times Innovator’s Award. She lives in Toronto with the writer Graeme Gibson.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ House of Anansi Pr
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2008
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 3rd Printing
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 230 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0887848109
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0887848100
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.53 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.5 x 7.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 225 ratings

About the author

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Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood

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Margaret Atwood is the author of more than fifty books of fiction, poetry and critical essays. Her novels include Cat's Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin and the MaddAddam trilogy. Her 1985 classic, The Handmaid's Tale, went back into the bestseller charts with the election of Donald Trump, when the Handmaids became a symbol of resistance against the disempowerment of women, and with the 2017 release of the award-winning Channel 4 TV series. ‘Her sequel, The Testaments, was published in 2019. It was an instant international bestseller and won the Booker Prize.’

Atwood has won numerous awards including the Booker Prize, the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Imagination in Service to Society, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade and the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2019 she was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to literature. She has also worked as a cartoonist, illustrator, librettist, playwright and puppeteer. She lives in Toronto, Canada.

Photo credit: Liam Sharp

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
225 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's pacing engaging and informative, with one review noting how it uses outstanding anecdotes to keep minds engaged. Moreover, they appreciate how it explores debt from various angles, with one customer highlighting its historical and sociopolitical analysis. Additionally, the book is well-written, easy to read, and entertaining, featuring a great sense of humor.

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PacingReadabilityIdea of debtEntertainment valueHumorElegance
20 customers mention "Pacing"17 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, finding it informative and eye-opening, with one customer noting how it keeps the mind engaged.

"...She uses many outstanding anecdotes, memories and references ranging from Chinese culture to Scrooge McDuck to open the readers mind to think about..." Read more

"...lastly payback through all of which she uses extended comparisons, allusions, and attention grabbing facts that cover the wide range of perspectives..." Read more

"...In other words, she knows how to tell a good story. Debt and credit are two weights on opposite sides of a scale...." Read more

"...She touches on humanistic interpretations which are a treat for anyone that uses money. It is very easy to read...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"9 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and well written, with one customer particularly appreciating its conversational style.

"...insight breaks down and explains debt in a way that is comprehensible by any general reader...." Read more

"...In simple terms this book is essentially the sharing of various writerly researches...." Read more

"...This book in total is well written and easily read; the only issue I personally don't like is the slight lacking of originality from her own..." Read more

"...Atwood's eclectic style of her conversational writing, keeps your mind engaged throughout the entire content of this book, which is divided into..." Read more

10 customers mention "Idea of debt"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate how the book explores the concept of debt, with one customer highlighting its historical and sociopolitical analysis, while another notes its psychological perspective on borrowing and lending.

"...She shares her curiosity of debt and credit as well as owing and repayment with a clever, smart, honest, witty and at times sarcastic approach...." Read more

"...She analyzed, explained, and related every possible aspect of debt to show its connections to history, people, and you along with summing it all up..." Read more

"...This book is more about the idea of debt. Not just the materialistic side but more or less the nonmaterialistic side...." Read more

"...The book depicts historic and present day sociopolitical systems of debts...." Read more

9 customers mention "Entertainment value"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book extremely entertaining.

"...best known for her novels and poems she has done an amazing job in presenting this non-fiction, eye-opening approach to the different types of debts..." Read more

"...Atwood, in my opinion did a splendid job on this work because she opened my mind and eyes to the topic of debt and wealth that I had no prior..." Read more

"...For such a serious subject this is an entertaining, delightful read. I wish I could see this book put into film by Woody Allen?..." Read more

"...will walk you thru the concept of debt at a different and entertaining level...." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's humor, with one noting its voice of wisdom and playfulness, while another mentions its sarcastic approach.

"...owing and repayment with a clever, smart, honest, witty and at times sarcastic approach. She truly makes a person re-evaluate their personal values...." Read more

"...The reader is treated to a mature voice; a voice of wisdom and playfulness. In other words, she knows how to tell a good story...." Read more

"...She has such a great sense of humor and grace when describing real world horrors like those described in this book...." Read more

"...She does all this with lively trenchant humor. For such a serious subject this is an entertaining, delightful read...." Read more

3 customers mention "Elegance"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the elegance of the book.

"...The surprise: she ends with a beautifully plead case for our responsibility to care for our planet. She does all this with lively trenchant humor...." Read more

"This book was well written. Provided facts and opinions that were plain and understandable...." Read more

"Payback An elegant book..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • KW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Debt is Not Just About Money
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    On the first page of Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, Margaret Atwood reveals that her motive for writing this book is based purely on her own curiosity of debt. She uses many outstanding anecdotes, memories and references ranging from Chinese culture to Scrooge McDuck to open the readers mind to think about debt and balance in so many different ways. The Canadian novelist examines the relation to debt and memory and between debt and written agreements. According to Atwood, "Without memory there is no debt: a debt is something owing for a transaction that's taken place in the past, and if neither debtor nor creditor remembers it, the debt is effectively extinguished" (p75).
    She imprints in the readers mind the shadowy subjects of revenge, debtors' prisons, and debts of honour which cannot be repaid by money, at this point things are looking bleak for the debtor. Atwood observes that, "In the shadowland of borrowing and lending, just as there is no limits set to the nature of and size of the debt, so there are no limits set to the nature and grisliness of nonpayment" (p134). Making the reader's imagination run wild wondering just how grisly things could get.
    After reading Payback I wondered if she could have some psychic abilities. It appeared that she brilliantly predicted the economic meltdown that the entire world was starting to experience when the book was released in 2008. Do not assume that this narrative is about debt management, the national debt or mafia revenges, if you are then you should think again. There were many times throughout the book she may converge on these subjects but do not mistake it as a boring book about finances. She delightfully intrigues the reader by taking them on a simplistic journey using her own thought process. She offers debt from different angles such as; having an entertainment value. The reader is exposed to the concept of the different roles that debt and credit offer in operas, stories and films. After all, without debt or credit I think the entertainment world would be a dull and boring place. There were many times the examples she used made perfect sense to me even though I had never thought of them that way until reading this book. Her creative approach takes readers on an in depth journey of one's own debt and even brings up the question if our mere existence could be considered a debt. Not something that we would naturally ask ourselves but it is a good question.
    Even though, Atwood is best known for her novels and poems she has done an amazing job in presenting this non-fiction, eye-opening approach to the different types of debts, the balancing of those debts and finally paying them back. She shares her curiosity of debt and credit as well as owing and repayment with a clever, smart, honest, witty and at times sarcastic approach. She truly makes a person re-evaluate their personal values. It is impossible not to discover that the fundamental parts of human nature are to find credit, incur debt, and then have to repay debt, in one way or other. These are scary times as we observe global warming, environmental issues, and financial turmoil this all results in potential for a huge credit imbalance. Unfortunately a small percentage of people hold the majority of the wealth. Unfairness is reaching a boiling point on a national and economic level. I fear that if society continues down this path of self-destruction that we are heading towards an enormous payback. Payback has its very unnerving moments but it is extremely entertaining at the same time.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Erikavanessa
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read for All
    Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Payback written by Margaret Atwood is a book that takes the common concept of `debt' and analyzes various aspects of it that were not commonly known before. Atwood's insight breaks down and explains debt in a way that is comprehensible by any general reader. Though the topic itself may seem a bit boring and tedious to read about, she utilizes a creative approach to display the multiple aspects of debt that many people in today's society are not already aware of. Her five main points that she goes into depth about are: ancient balances, debt and sin, debt as a plot, the shadow side, and lastly payback through all of which she uses extended comparisons, allusions, and attention grabbing facts that cover the wide range of perspectives within the topic of debt. She makes it so this common topic is relatable to everyone- no matter their age, race, or gender.
    Right off the bat, Atwood begins explaining facts that to me, and likely to others, were unknown and intrigued me to read more. For instance, she brings the notion up of how animals and humans seek fairness and equality amongst one another. In order for us to interact properly we seek that we are always reciprocated for our actions in an equal value or manner of another person. Here, she begins uses one of her many examples that reiterate her point in which a study of animals proves that this primitive theory is actually true. Another highlight of her first initial introduction is that debt isn't always how we perceive it to be. It can be something as simple as returning a favor unto someone, repaying your parents for what they have done for you, or even marriage. That being said, debt as we know it today takes numerous forms that we most likely weren't aware of beforehand.
    Moreover, she begins to incorporate various allusions to which some are very common to most readers and others may require research in order to understand. Some common examples being Santa Claus and Ebenezer Scrooge and how the perceptions of these characters today are completely inaccurate from how they originated and what they signify. Simple allusions like these makes the reader get a new perspective into how debt and the topic of sin have been connected and going side by side for an immeasurable amount of time. Before, debt was considered to be one of the worst sins one could commit to; however, nowadays it is something that everyone must go through. Her explanation of how history connects debt to the Christian religion is fascinating because once again it shatters all preconceived notions of the mere thought of debt.
    Furthermore, Atwood begins to analyze the numerous different types of debt and how the relationship between creditor and debtor begins to work. Whether this be through a mortgage, pawn shops, or something else. But, more importantly she explains that debt is something that has always existed, "without memory, there is no debt...without story, there is not debt" (page 81) and will continue to exist because of the mere fact that we have memory. There is always something to needs to be paid back, or returned to the creditor who had given you the opportunity. Also, she begins expanding upon the fact that wealth brings us to only be consumed by ourselves and not have a care for what is going on around us. She explains this through the allusion of using Ebenezer Scrooge once more; however, she redoes the story of how he realizes that its wrong to keep everything for himself. It was an innovative way to display the same type of moral message through her idea of modern day society.
    In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone--the reason being that she did not intend her audience to be within a specific range of people, anyone can understand what she has written about. She analyzed, explained, and related every possible aspect of debt to show its connections to history, people, and you along with summing it all up and displaying what it all means. I enjoyed her way of including numerous allusions to reiterate her main points which made it easier to understand as well. Atwood, in my opinion did a splendid job on this work because she opened my mind and eyes to the topic of debt and wealth that I had no prior knowledge of beforehand.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • patrick
    5.0 out of 5 stars les crises économiques expliquées aux nuls
    Reviewed in France on December 31, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    court, éclairant sur les crises du passé et celles à venir; Atwood aurait du avoir le Nobel de littérature, c'est plus riche que Modiano
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  • Amazon Customer
    1.0 out of 5 stars Economic piffle
    Reviewed in Australia on November 15, 2014
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    Written for the religious mutters. Belongs in the opinion columns and not where we expect an economist as the title infers.
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  • remmy
    2.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunate at best
    Reviewed in Germany on September 2, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Atwood is an exceptional author but she does her reputation no favors with this book. She must have had a central theme in mind but the book rambles through a collection of essays which do not really focus on it. It is mildly entertaining with lots of anecdotes and will fill a gap in your shelf full of her other work.....but not at all a "must read".
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  • LOURDES MONTILLA GORDO
    5.0 out of 5 stars Una reflexión profunda sobre nuestro estilo de vida
    Reviewed in Spain on September 21, 2018
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    Me ha parecido interesantísimo. Aborda un tema importante y de gran actualidad explicado de forma clara y convincente. Muy recomendable
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  • Judi123
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellently written and thought provoking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I liked the literary references as expected from a widely read author it reminds one that the ancients shared out thought processes if not our technology.
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