Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's tale Won international acclaim when it was first published in 1985; with it, Atwood Won Canada's Governor General's award as well as the arthur c clarke award and was nominated for ...Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's tale Won international acclaim when it was first published in 1985; with it, Atwood Won Canada's Governor General's award as well as the arthur c clarke award and was nominated for the booker prize. This title collects some the novel's best critics to introduce high school students and undergraduates.