Set in the not-too-distant future, in a terrifying world where religion is used as a tool of repression and social control, "The Handmaid's Tale is the story of a young woman, Offered, recruited for reproductive purposes at a time of plummeting birth rates. The gripping narrative switches between her memories of the old world where she was a working mother and the terrifying realities of her life as a state-controlled breeding machine--a Handmaid. A masterpiece of modern literature, Margaret Atwood has crafted a powerful, unforgettable novel.