Comments on: Octavia Butler’s Legacy To Black Writers

By: mensah

mensah — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:36:50 +0000

You’re right about “Kindred” and I thought about that after the fact. Nonetheless, in writing this post, I considered my own development and how I personally feel split, so to speak, between literary and genre writing. I’m unsure of her impact to black writers outside of science fiction/fantasy writers & readers. The potential impact is there; I just hope she’s not forgotten over time.

By: Stephanie Denise Brown

Stephanie Denise Brown — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:55:40 +0000

As you've said, Butler didn't set out to be "literary" but she told some damn good stories, stories where the science brought into question who we are as human beings. This is the best science fiction, stories that focus on the human aspect.

Having said that, Butler admitted that some of her works were not science fiction (Kindred, she said is not science fiction because she never explains how the time travel works and she said that Parable of the Sower is not science fiction because the character, in her words, only has these powers in her mind).

I think the fact that Octavia Butler was recognized with a MacArthur "Genius" Grant solidifies her not only as a literary writer but as one of the most creative and brilliant minds that ever lived.

By: Stephanie Denise Brown

Stephanie Denise Brown — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:55:40 +0000

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:08:02 +0000

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