I enjoyed this commentary and also appreciate the couple.
For at least 20 years, I've avoided Octavia Butler books, telling myself , “I'm not into sci-fi.” During that time I've also known the importance of her work and how imperative it would be for me to delve into it at some point. Many years ago I purchased her book Kindred from a book sale. Having read the story line, it seemed like one I'd be able to get into when I was ready.
Fast forward to January 2025, and I receive an invite from colleagues to join a book club for the reading of Parable of the Sower and an offer to pick up a copy of the text. Interesting.
I started reading Kindred a day before that email and am very much engrossed in the text. Afrofuturism is definitely the key to my ability to engage with sci-fi. I'm not sure how things will go with Parable of the Sower, but I did accept the invite and look forward to reading the book and discussing with others.