Acclaimed author Margaret Atwood will present a 70-minute dramatic reading from her new novel, "The Year of the Flood," backed by a troupe of actors and a choir, at DePaul University Nov. 6. Hosted by DePaul’s English department, the innovative book-launch event will be staged at the DePaul’s Merle Reskin Theatre, 60 E. Balbo Drive, Chicago, at 7:30 p.m.

The only Midwest stop on the 10-city American leg of Atwood’s international book tour will feature the celebrated Canadian author narrating scenes, which will be performed by local actors, from her long-awaited 13th novel. The post-apocalyptic tale focuses on God’s Gardeners, a small group of survivors of a man-made environmental disaster depicted in an earlier Atwood novel, "Oryx and Crake." Isolated in a corrupt, menacing dystopia, where gene-spliced life forms proliferate, God’s Gardeners try to reconcile religion, science and nature, and express their beliefs in hymns. Atwood and California singer-songwriter Orville Stoeber partnered to compose lyrics and music for these hymns, which will be performed live by a choir at the event (and are available on the CD, "Hymns of the God’s Gardeners"). A book-signing by the Booker Prize-winning author will follow the performance.

Event organizer Anne Clark Bartlett, a DePaul English professor who has taught a course on Atwood’s works, said the university is honored and excited to be chosen to host Atwood’s only book launch performance in the region. 

"As a writer, she’s a rock star," Bartlett said. "We look forward to hosting what promises to be one of the most compelling literary events of the year."

Tickets are $20. A portion of the proceeds will benefit non-for-profit environmental organizations.

For tickets, contact DePaul’s Merle Reskin box office at (312) 922-1999 or order online  For more information, go to: las.depaul.edu/atwoodEvent.

Editors' Note:  Journalists interested in covering the event should make prior arrangements with Robin Florzak, DePaul Media Relations, at (312) 362-8592 or rflorzak@depaul.edu.  

No flash photography allowed, and photo taking is limited to the first five minutes of the performance.

For requests to interview Atwood and/or to record the event, contact Alison Rich, Random House Inc., at (212) 782-9787 or arich@randomhouse.com. RECORDING THE EVENT IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL BY RICH.

For Margaret Atwood's "Year of the Flood" book tour blog and photos, visit the Web
site: www.yearoftheflood.com/us/