In Kindred, Octavia Butler creates a road for the impossible and a balm for the unbearable. It is everything the literature of science fiction can be.—Walter Mosley
"Butler's characters are so vivid and the racist milieu in which they struggle to survive so realistically depicted that one cannot finish Kindred without feeling changed. It is a shattering work of art with much to say about love, hate, slavery, and racial dilemmas, then and now."—Sam Frank, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
"Like emotion that uplifts and enriches, like exquisite music or the taste of some special candy remembered from childhood, I never wanted Kindred to end. It overwhelmed me, dominated me, drew me on page after page. To express my total admiration and wonder for the originality of this surpassingly compelling novel, I am driven to a despised cliché: I could not put it down! It is a book that simply will not be denied; its power is hypnotic. Kindred is a story that hurts: I take that to be the surest indicator of genuine Art. It is an important novel, filled with powerful human insight and the shocking impact of the most commonplace experiences viewed in a new way, and it demands that once begun, the reader continue till it has done its work on the heart and mind and soul. Octavia Butler is a writer who will be with us for a long, long time, and Kindred is that rare, magical artifact . . . the novel one returns to, again and again, through the years, to learn, to be humbled, and to be renewed. Do not, I beg you, deny yourself this singular experience."—Harlan Ellison
"Truly terrifying. . . . A book you'll find hard to put down." —Essence
"Butler's books are exceptional. . . . She is a realist, writing the most detailed social criticism and creating some of the most fascinating female characters in the genre . . . real women caught in impossible situations." —Dorothy Allison, The Village Voice
"Butler's literary craftsmanship is superb." —The Washington Post Book World
"Her books are disturbing, unsettling… In a field dominated by white male authors, Butler's African-American feminist perspective is unique, and uniquely suited to reshape the boundaries of the sci-fi genre." —Bill Glass, L. A. Style
"One of the most original, thought-provoking works examining race and identity." —Lynell George, Los Angeles Times
"This powerful novel about a modern black woman transported back in time to a slave plantation in the antebellum South is the perfect introduction to Butler's work and perspectives for those not usually enamored of science fiction. . .A harrowing, haunting story." —John Marshall, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
This is the perfect time to take a beat and celebrate authors, old, new, and rediscovered, who exemplify the greatest of Black literature. From unrecognized voices such as Diane Oliver to our favorite modern wordsmiths like James McBride, we were inspired by Kwame Alexander’s quote below to put together a new collection of Black voices […]
Classic adjective. clas· sic | \ ˈkla-sik \ 1a: serving as a standard of excellence: of recognized value Some things never go out of style and when it comes to Black classics, there are so many categories we could talk about: music, movies, food, hairstyles, the list goes on. This has nothing to do with color (well, mostly) — it’s about culture. Often, we have so many […]
Welcome to the Book Nerd’s Guide to Life! Every other week, we convene in this safe place to discuss the unique challenges of life for people whose noses are always wedged in books. For past guides, click here. The last time we were together on this hallowed ground, we weighed the pros and cons of […]
Since ancient times*, humans have ushered in uncountable new years by running out and grabbing some new graphic novels. While opinions vary on whether or not 2016 was as awful as the memes imply, there’s a simple way to guarantee this year starts out properly: grab yourself some new comic books. Fortunately, we have some suggestions for what to […]