Community Read of Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower
Join us to talk about Octavia Butler's remarkable dystopian science fiction novel, Parable of the Sower. You are invited to attend one or both sessions, even if you haven't had a chance to finish the book. The first 10 people who register to attend the book discussions can receive a free copy of the book. (Registration is not necessary unless you would like to receive a free copy of the book.) There are also multiple copies available for checkout from the Library, and the eBook and downloadable audiobook are both available.
Parable of the Sower takes place in the early 2020s, when global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos. California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old African American Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyper-empathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others’ emotions. Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith . . . and a startling vision of human destiny.
This event is part of the Parable Path CU collaboration, coordinated by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. There will be discussion groups and arts programming taking place throughout the year, culminating in Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower, an opera by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in February 2022. The Parable Path CU collaborators include The Urbana Free Library, the Champaign Public Library (Douglass Branch and Main Branch), University Library at the University of Illinois, University of Illinois Residence Hall Libraries, Champaign Central High School Library, University Laboratory High School Library, and the Urbana High School Library.
Conveniently located at the corner of Race and Green in downtown Urbana.
