Hopeful Speculations Book Club: Parable of the Sower

​Welcome to the bimonthly Hopeful Speculations Book Club!

​A collaboration between The Climateverse and the Department of Imaginary Affairs, this is a community-building space to connect over speculative fiction and "read our way through the dark."

​Together we'll read everything from fantasy and sci fi to magical realism and even historical fiction, from diverse authors around the world, all grappling with questions of the futures we're hurtling towards, and how to chart our way to brighter possibilities.

​​Next up: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

​In 2024, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future.

​Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

​When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

​This classic canon is must-read for any speculative fiction reader. And what better way too cool off from the heat of the summer season than to hop into a vision of 2024 that's eerily similar to the issues we've been facing for the past two years.

​Get your copy here:

​Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK22fsEH2Uo&t=2s

Ebook: https://archive.org/details/parableofsower0000butl_p5f6

​Toronto Public Library: https://tpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S234C4102426

​There's also a companion podcast mapped to each chapter in the book, if you're looking for some virtual company with the text before we meet. Check it out here.

​And of course, we'll be taking a spin on the typical book club meeting. Expect guided discussion about the book, of course, but we'll also close each session with a futures activity based on the story!