Octavia Butler
June 22, 1947 - February 24, 2006
Sadly, one important fact seemed to miss the mainstream media in the last two weeks...
The passing of one of the most dynamic writers in the last fifty years... Octavia Butler.
Please notice that I didn't say 'one of the most dynamic women writers...' or 'one of the most dynamic black writers...'
Octavia Butler was an innovative, highly original and thought provoking science fiction writer. Her novels often revolved around master-slave relationships which blended humans, aliens, genetics, love and hate on an often post-apocalyptic and psychosexual platform.
A recognized literary talent, Octavia Butler won the Hugo [Gernsback] and Nebula awards for excellence in science fiction writing and the [John D.] Mac Arthur fellowship for written accomplishments.
I have personally had the privileged to read her novels 'Parable of the Sower', 'Parable of the Talents' and 'Kindred.' I found them all to be some of the most intense, imaginative, thought provoking and well written novels that I have had the pleasure to read.
Her talent remains with us - in our library's and bookstores and if we're lucky, in our homes. People of all races should pay her the debt of honor that her talents, her mind and her spirit deserve.
Thank you, Ms. Butler - for your enduring legacy.
TTBM
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