Octavia Butler, R.I.P.

February 27th, 2006

Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006)

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Octavia E. Butler, considered the first black woman to gain national prominence as a science fiction writer, died after falling and striking her head on the cobbled walkway outside her home, a close friend said. She was 58.Butler was found outside her home in the north Seattle suburb of Lake Forest Park after the accident Friday, and died the same day. She had suffered from high blood pressure and heart trouble and could only take a few steps without stopping for breath, said Leslie Howle, who knew Butler for two decades and works at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle.

Butler’s work wasn’t preoccupied with robots and ray guns, Howle said, but used the genre’s artistic freedom to explore race, poverty, politics, religion and human nature. [...]

Her first novel, “Kindred,” came out in 1979. It concerned a black woman who travels back in time to the South to save a white man. She went on to write about a dozen books, plus numerous essays and short stories. Her most recent work, “Fledgling,” a reinterpretation of the “Dracula” legend, was published last fall.

She won numerous awards, and in 1995 became the first science fiction writer granted a “genius” award from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which paid $295,000 over five years. She served on the board of the Science Fiction Museum. [...]

“Mostly she just loved sitting down and writing,” [SF writer Peter Heck] said. “For being a black female growing up in Los Angeles in the ’60s, she was attracted to science fiction for the same reasons I was: It liberated her. She had a far-ranging imagination, and she was a treasure in our community.”

As a reader (and maybe someday a writer) of science fiction and fantasy, I had the opportunity to read “Kindred”, and I enjoyed it immensely. Butler will be missed, but she will never be forgotten.


Filed under Literature | Comments (3)

3 Responses to “Octavia Butler, R.I.P.”

  1. Juliette on February 27, 2006 February 27, 2006 - 8:53 pm

    Oh my! I was a big fan. :-(

    J.

  2. baldilocks on February 27, 2006 February 27, 2006 - 9:16 pm

    Octavia Butler…

    A lot of famous people have died this week—Don Knotts, Darren McGavin and Dennis Weaver–but I was most shocked and saddened to learn of the death of sci-fi/fantasy author Octavia Butler who was only 58. I was a big fan…

  3. Toni on February 28, 2006 February 28, 2006 - 7:49 am

    Thank you for being there to share thoughts about Octavia with me. I was introduced to her work in a very unusual way and that is another intersting story. I had the pleasure of talking with her several times in the past over the past 20 years. I had never read or been interested in the genre assigned to her before reading The Wild Seed back in the 70’s I believe. 3 of my 4 adult children also became fascinated with her work. She was unique! It saddens me on one hand but the memories bring smiles. It’s not the quantity of your life but rather the quality and what you leave behind! She was true to herself and her craft. I believe the the highest praise we can give our Creator is to do all we can do in the best way we can with the gifts and talent He blesses us with. Octavia’s life work has enriched the lives of all who read her! What a way to go!

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