Happy Birthday, Octavia Butler!

[eldritchhobbit]

Happy birthday to Octavia Butler (22 June, 1947 – 24 February, 2006)!



“In order to rise
From its own ashes
A phoenix
First
Must
Burn.”
― Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Talents (1998)

Comments

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

OOO, I love that quote. I've not read her works. Would you have any recs recommendations for a newbie?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Her work is amazing. I'd recommend her novels Kindred and/or Parable of the Sower for starters. Also, her story "Speech Sounds" is amazing: it's online here. But to be honest, I've never read a work of hers I didn't think was wonderful.

[internet-sampo.livejournal.com]

She may be the greatest science fiction author out there.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

She certainly has one of the coolest names!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

One of the very best of all time.

[savageseraph.livejournal.com]

That quote is exceptionally beautiful, just as she was. I was lucky enough to meet her once at ICFA when she was our Guest of Honor one year. She gave a stirring and heartbreaking and lovely speech about her life and her writing and the power of language.

She made me laugh and cry, and inside, I soared.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh, how amazing it must have been to meet her and hear her talk! I admire everything about her and her work.