Here at The Artist’s Bookshelf, we were saddened this week by news from Seattle of the passing of Octavia E. Butler, the author of this month’s selection, Fledgling. Ms. Butler’s career as a science fiction writer broke down many barriers, both literary and social. As an African-American woman working in a white, male-dominated field, she brought a voice of unfailing sensitivity and consciousness to her writing, and approached the big issues like racism and sexism with unparalleled bravado. Above all else, she made us question human nature… a process that will surely continue as part of her legacy.
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