Why this Octavia Butler page-turner is the ultimate book club pick

Octavia E. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” topped our 101 Best Book Club List survey by receiving the astir votes. We talked to Nikki High, the laminitis of Octavia’s Bookshelf bookstore successful Pasadena, astir Butler’s bequest and wherefore the rubric resonates with truthful many.

This speech has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The publication was archetypal published successful 1993, and speaking for myself, I work it successful ’93 and the twelvemonth 2024 felt similar thing that could ne'er happen, right? Now that we are present successful 2026, we’re 2 years into the publication arsenic it starts — it’s a large publication nine work due to the fact that we’re successful this unneurotic astatine the aforesaid clip that she’s penning about. I deliberation there’s going to beryllium immoderate unthinkable discussions astir “Parable of the Sower” successful publication clubs this year.

I work “Parable of the Sower” each six oregon 7 years, and depending connected what’s going on, thing antithetic resonates with me. When I reread it again, I felt similar our main character, Lauren Olamina, being 15 years old, having this level of invincibility that 15-year-olds feel, is truthful needed. For me, it truly created this blueprint of hope. I americium hopeful that the young folks volition look astir and say, ‘We person to bash thing different, thing truly radical.’ I deliberation Lauren’s quality is much important present than ever. And she wholly reminds maine of a Gen Zer. I mean, I’m successful my 50s, and erstwhile I was 15 years old, the mentors and radical older than maine would say, ‘If you don’t person a spot astatine the table, bring your ain chair.’ And Gen Zers contiguous are like, ‘Let’s smash the table.’ We truly request that.

If you are idiosyncratic who has work Octavia Butler extensively, this area, Pasadena, Altadena, shows up truthful often successful her books. As I’m riding done town, I’m like, ‘Oh, those are her mountains.’ This is her corner. Her tone resonates here. Being astatine the Los Angeles Central Library, which was 1 of her favourite libraries, feels truthful important. I deliberation her tone is conscionable each passim Los Angeles; she was a nationalist proscription rider for life. Many times I’m driving done the city, and I deliberation of her words — she was trying to pass us.

There’s 1 enactment erstwhile Lauren Olamina says, “Embrace diverseness oregon die.” Particularly successful this area, during the Eaton fire, we saw that cipher came to prevention america but ourselves. We had nary different prime but to trust connected each other, and I deliberation the events that are happening successful our satellite contiguous accent the urgency of that connection from Lauren. We are each we have, and truthful we person to clasp each different and each of our intersections truthful that we tin proceed to turn and physique a satellite we’d similar to unrecorded in.

— As told to Maddie Connors