Commentator Lester Spence remembers Octavia Butler, the author who introduced him to science-fiction writing and convinced him the genre wasn't just for white audiences. Butler died February 24, 2006 after a fall near her Seattle home.
It's easy to find remedies for racism and violence in the fictional world. But what about in real life? In her essay for NPR, Butler asks: What would make us more tolerant, more peaceful, and less likely to need a UN Conference on Racism?
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Octavia E. Butler is quite possibly my favorite authors ever, and I cried when I learned of her too-early death (she was only 58) on February 24, 2006. Heck, I'm even considering naming my first-born daughter after her. Why? Because while her novels are all very distinctive, they draw upon a common thread of strong-willed, independent, flawed, fantastic female protagonists. Though I was never fortunate to have met Octavia E. Butler in person, I suspect that these female protagonists all reflect her distinctiveness; she was the first Black female sci-fi writer and described herself as "a...
Several years ago, I sat in front of my computer and began writing a novel. The theme was "passing." In college, I devoured novels by Charles Chesnutt, Nella Larsen and James Weldon Johnson.
BOSTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A random survey of Boston University professors yielded a wide and rich variety of summer reading recommendations for adults, ranging from Randy Pausch's inspirational ...
The Ministry of Information has picked up the lastest meme doing the rounds, which is to copy SFX Magazine's list of top science fiction and fantasy authors, list the ones you've read, and say a few words on ...
Just in time for gay pride, AOL/Blackvoices produces a thoughtful microsite devoted to Famous Gay African-Americans . The editors went beyond the usual suspects and devoted slides and bios to 29 contemporary ...
JOBS ARE scarce. Water is even scarcer. Pollution, racial tensions and general poverty have transformed Los Angeles into a dystopian wasteland dotted by pockets of privilege.
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