In Margaret Atwoods 11th novel, she returns to the sci-fi concerns and social criticism that propelled THE HANDMAIDS TALE. ORYX AND CRAKE follows the fortunes of a man once named Jimmy, now called Snowman: his present-day life as a scavenger in a blasted world alternates with his memories of his past. The eponymous Oryx is an Asian girl he encounters on a website featuring child pornography, and Crake is a brilliantly gifted childhood friend who grows up to be a scientist involved in creating artificial life. A New York Times Notable Book for 2003.