Octavia E. Butler : the Last Interview

And Other Conversations

by

Paperback, 192 pages

English language

Published Oct. 27, 2023 by Melville House Publishing.

ISBN:
978-1-68589-105-3
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Goodreads:
124551310

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4 stars (1 review)

“I write about people who do extraordinary things. It just turned out that it was called science fiction.” - Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler's work broke innumerable barriers and helped open the field of science fiction to writers and readers it had never had before. As the first Black writer to win the coveted Nebula and Hugo Awards, her courage and vision left a peerless legacy for fans not just of science fiction, but of American literature. In this collection of 10 interviews, 3 of them never published, Butler speaks with candor and openness about her work, her imaginative mission, and the barriers she faced as a Black woman working in a genre dominated by white men. The book features an original introduction by science fiction legend Samuel R. Delany, in which he discusses his personal relation with Butler, providing unparalleled insight into her work and life.

1 edition

reviewed Octavia E. Butler : the Last Interview by Melville House

The Last Interview

4 stars

Less a parade of interviewers who haven't read her work asking the same flat questions than usual. She only had to mention Devil Girl from Mars once out of the ten and refer to Steve Barnes and Samuel R. Delany twice. Delany's intro is disjointed and abrupt, and I'm sorry she had to deal with some of the questions from Rosalie G. Harrison. I appreciated most the interview with Randall Kenan who showed his admiration and was actually interactive rather than robotically going through index cards.

Subjects

  • memoir
  • interview
  • nonfiction