Parable of the Sower

Where to begin? Octavia Butler was unbelievably prescient in writing Parable of the Sower. In it, she imagines a world ravaged by ecological uncertainty and the human (mis)behavior this inspires. Through the journey of the protagonist, Lauren Olamina, on her way to Northern California to secure economic stability and security for herself and her newly-founded spiritual community, Butler describes how tribalism and greed have transformed entire cities of the year 2025 into near combat zones rife with theft and violence. This story provides grim yet insightful warnings of the dangers of taking our planet and social fabric for granted.