Journal Entry 1 by Oldbroad from Grapeview, Washington USA on Saturday, December 17, 2005

"She is a realist, writing the most detailed social criticism and creating some of the most fascinating female characters in the genre...real women caught in impossible situations". 

Journal Entry 2 by Oldbroad from Grapeview, Washington USA on Saturday, March 04, 2006

Released in postal trade to GorgeousGlo in California. 

Journal Entry 3 by GorgeousGlo on Sunday, August 13, 2006

I only learned about Octavia Butler recently, when I read her obituary.  She was acclaimed as an excellent author of Sci-Fi, and I became very interested in reading one of her works.  

What could be more horrifying for a black woman than to travel through time and space and end up in the South pre-Lincoln? Dana, the heroine of the book, is moving to a new house with her white husband Kevin.  Like some kind of poltergeist, once in the house, and while unpacking, she vanishes into the ether and appears on a river, where a little white boy is drowning. She saves the boy, gets attacked by the boy's mother, and pointed at with a gun by the boy's father. As fast as she appeared, she vanishes again. Back at the house, neither she nor Kevin can make heads or tails of what happened.

And so it goes. Dana eventually discovers that she is "invoked" by that little boy, Rufus, every time he is in fear of his life.  Dana's travels to the antebellum South become longer and longer stays.  While she remains the same age, Rufus grows, and eventually becomes a man. To make matters more complex, Rufus happens to be an ancestor of Dana.

Dana is conflicted about the loyalty and dependency she feels towards Rufus (which is something that I never fully understood) and the terrible behavior he exhibits to those around him, especially his slaves.  There are many parallels drawn between Dana's current time and place (Los Angeles, 1976), and her South.  Dana develops deep relationships with a number of slaves: Sarah, Carrie, Nigel, and Alice, who is actually her great-great-grandmother.  The brutality of the times shock Dana, and Kevin, who in one of the time travels gets caught and goes along. 

There are very few details as to how and why the time travel happens.  This is something quite irrelevant, after all. The core issue of the book is the witnessing of slavery in the XIX century with XX century eyes. 

Although the prose is not all that exciting or well crafted, the depth of this novel and the audacious approach to this genre (sci-fi) makes it a wonderful read. If you love historical fiction, do not let the sci-fi label scare you.

One interesting note from Wikipedia:

In 1979, she published Kindred, a novel which uses the science fiction technique of time travel to explore slavery in the United States. In this story, Dana, an African American woman is taken from 1976 to the turn of the 19th century ante-bellum South. She meets her ancestors, Rufus, a white slave holder, and Alice, an African American woman who was born free but forced into slavery later in life.
This novel is often shelved in literature or African-American literature sections rather than in science fiction — Butler herself categorized the novel not as science fiction but rather as a "grim fantasy" — Kindred became the most popular of all her books, with a quarter of a million copies currently in print. "I think people really need to think what it's like to have all of society arrayed against you," she said of the book. 

Journal Entry 4 by GorgeousGlo on Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Another BookRing begins!

Rules for the BookRing (inspired from LyekkaMarengo's profile):

1. Please let me know your shipping restrictions.
2. Journal the book when you get it.
3. If you can't finish this book in ~ 4 weeks, please let me know.
4. Make your Journal Entry.
5. PM the next person in line before you send it to make sure they are still interested in participating.
6. PM the next person in line after you have actually mailed the book.

Shipping order:

Joanthro - Colorado (intl OK) (MAILED February 6, 2007)
Bug2004 - Nebraska (US only)
RCLoriH - South Dakota (US pref)
Rebel-padawan - Minnesota (US/Can pref, intl. OK)
LadyKnightNiko - Ohio (intl. OK)
Ariesgirl29 - Tennessee (intl. OK)
Red-Ram - Alabama (Intl. OK)
Chocolatefishy - North Carolina (US/Can pref, intl. OK)
Cinnycat - New York (US only)
Mikopikotrain - Massachusetts (US only)
Rrrcaron - New Hampshire (intl. OK)
lauraloo29 - Canada (can ship anywhere BUT Canada)
Biffin44 - UK (intl. OK)
wanderingstar8 - UK (intl. OK)
Penelopewanders - Switzerland (EU pref)
CandyDarling - Finland (intl. OK)
Frangipani08 - Australia (AUS only)
BellaMack - Australia (AUS only)
Id-rather-be-at - Australia (intl. OK)
Wandering-B - Hong Kong (intl. OK)
Vikki - Japan (intl. OK)
Bluestocking88 - Washington (US preferred)

Thank you! 

Journal Entry 5 by Joanthro from Denver, Colorado USA on Monday, February 12, 2007

I just returned from a conference in Washington DC yesterday, and this book was waiting for me. I love coming home to a BookCrossing package! 

Journal Entry 6 by Joanthro from Denver, Colorado USA on Monday, February 26, 2007

In the first few pages of the book, I thouhgt "OK, 'kin-dread'. I get it." Fortunately, a few more pages convinced me that this facile description didn't give the book or the author nearly enough credit.

Kindred has many themes, but the one that most struck me is power and more importantly, how the powerless respond to their lack of power. Dana is repeatedly struck by how few options the slaves have and how her options quickly slip away as well. She thinks it is important that she not lose herself in the past and remain separate from everything as much as possible, but she must eventually accept that she has no more options than any other black woman in 1850s America. That realization condems her to internalizing the powerlessness that defines the time she spent in the past.

The question of "internalizing power" forces the reader to address how any of us internalizes the power or lack of power we experience in our lives. What does this mean for women, even today? What does this mean for ethnic minorities of either gender? What were we taught by our parents that were really unexamined survival strategies based on our ethnic heritage, our gender, or our class? I find relationships of power endlessly fascinating and Kindred was a stellar example of how those relationships are lived, internalized in people's lives and consciounesses, and incorporated into larger systems such as governments and cultures that take generations to change. Have we really undone slavery (unequal relationships of power) in the US?

Sorry for the stream of consciousness - too tired to think clearly, but I wanted to get some of this down and note that I mailed this book to Bug2004 yesterday. Thanks so much GorgeousGlo, for making this book available. 

Journal Entry 7 by Bug2004 from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Saturday, March 03, 2007

Re'cvd book today. I have a couple ahead of it, but will get to as quick as I can. Thanks for sharing!! 

Journal Entry 8 by Bug2004 from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Friday, April 06, 2007

Really, really liked this one. Can't even put my finger on it exactly, just the overall feel was great!! I was engrossed by the story. It was such a different kind of story for me...I will look for other titles by this author for sure.

Thanks so much for sharing!! It will be mailed early next week. :) 

Journal Entry 9 by Bug2004 from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Mailed to RCLoriH today.

DC# 0306 2400 0000 5960 8784 

Journal Entry 10 by RCLoriH from Rapid City, South Dakota USA on Saturday, April 14, 2007

The book has arrived in South Dakota. I'm looking forward to reading it. 

Journal Entry 11 by RCLoriH from Rapid City, South Dakota USA on Wednesday, April 25, 2007

This author has a wonderful talent for writing engrossing books about time travel and alien invasions and making me totally believe it could happen. It also made me think about racism, attitudes and even the way we humans treat each other every day.

The characters were so well developed and I felt like I really got to know them and yet kept being surprised by the choices they made. Like Dana, I kept hoping that Rufus would be influenced by her and would turn out to be more than what he was.

Great Book and Thanks to GorgeousGlo for sharing! 

Journal Entry 12 by RCLoriH from Rapid City, South Dakota USA on Saturday, April 28, 2007

I am putting the book in the mail today. It is on its way to Rebel-padawan in Red Lake, MN. 

Journal Entry 13 by rebel-padawan from Redlake, Minnesota USA on Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Not sure when this finally got here as I have been laid up from surgery for two weeks. Got to the PO today and there was a very badly beaten package, I'm surprised the book stayed in there!
I'll have this read ASAP! 

Journal Entry 14 by rebel-padawan from Redlake, Minnesota USA on Monday, June 04, 2007

I just finished the book a few hours ago, and had to come online to journal my thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind.
I was shocked and bristled internally the first time I read the word "nigger" I have been raised to never use a word like that, what shocked me more was that as the story progressed, I became acclimated to the way it was used. I quickly came to be involved in the book, involved in the characters, wondering how this would affect Dana and Kevin, it actually took me some time to realize Kevin was white.
This was a well crafted story. A relatively quick read. And it got me to thinking, how would I survive if I got called back to the time of my ancestors? Could I do it? I honestly have not the slightest clue as to how to proceed. Being a person of ethnic descent, that a thought that constantly torments me, could I have survived what my ancestors survived?
It intrigues me, this wondering, and even as it intrigues me, I am thankful to have the life that I have. That although there is racism and prejudice, it is not what it was like for people hundreds of years ago.
I loved this book, I don't know how or why, but I loved it. I may look into getting a copy for myself.
Thanks for sharing, will be PMing LadyKnightNiko for an address. 

Journal Entry 15 by LadyKnightNiko from Liberty Township, Ohio USA on Sunday, August 12, 2007

This arrived in the mail yesterday. I''m going to finish my current read, then start this one! 

Journal Entry 16 by LadyKnightNiko from Liberty Township, Ohio USA on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

This was such a wonderful book! Butler wrote about life in the time of the antebellum south as though she herself lived through it, which in turn made it all that more vivid in my own mind.

My only complaint is that the end was sort of abrupt in my opinion.

Thank you, gorgeousglo, for letting me in on this ring! I have the next person''s address, and will have it moving again on friday (payday.) 

Journal Entry 17 by LadyKnightNiko at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (8/17/2007 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On to the next reader! 

Journal Entry 18 by ariesgirl29 from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Oh my - I got this in the mail yesterday and didn't get to journal it until now but I picked it up this morning since I was out sick today from work, and read it. This book was fantastic and I couldn't put it down! I'm so glad that it arrived at such a time that I had a full day to devote to it!

I'm im'ing the next reader and will get it out shortly.

09.09.07-sent 2nd pm to next reader. Will pm the next person if I don't hear back in a few days.

09.22.07 - got response back from chocolatefishey to skip - pm'ing cinnycat now.

Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 19 by ariesgirl29 from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Saturday, October 13, 2007

Mailed off today. 

Journal Entry 20 by cinnycat from Central Square, New York USA on Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I got this a couple days ago and I'm already half way through! thanks so much for sharing everyone and ariesgirl29 for sending it. I will write another journal entry soon! 

Journal Entry 21 by cinnycat from Central Square, New York USA on Thursday, November 01, 2007

It's not every day you see a sci-fi novel written by an African-American woman. I thought it was amazing. The story is terrifying. My heart breaks at the sort of thing that has happened and is still happening in the world. Maybe things are not happening to the extent of slavery but what is with all the noose threats these days? It is horrible.

I will definitely be looking for more novels from Butler, as these are the kinds of books that need to be read. thanks so much for sharing, GorgeousGlo! It may take me a while to get to the post office but I already have Mikopikotrain's address and I'll package it up to get ready for my next trip. 

Journal Entry 22 by cinnycat at N/A in ***, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Friday, December 14, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (12/14/2007 UTC) at N/A in ***, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Ah! I did not mean to hold onto this so long! I just went to the post office today! I'm so sorry!! thanks again for sharing! 

Journal Entry 23 by mikopikotrain from Palo Alto, California USA on Saturday, December 22, 2007

Arrived, safe & sound today! Just in time for vacation reading... 

Journal Entry 24 by mikopikotrain from Palo Alto, California USA on Sunday, January 13, 2008

A powerful read- so many complex issues addressed in this book that are still frustratingly relevant today. This book gave me so much food for thought and really reinforced my appreciation for the "science fiction/fantasy" genre as a powerful tool to look at fundamentals of human nature. Thank you for sharing! 

Journal Entry 25 by mikopikotrain from Palo Alto, California USA on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

I put this book in the mail yesterday- it's on its way to the next participant! 

Journal Entry 26 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, January 19, 2008

Arrived in the mail yesterday. Will get to it as soon as I can. 

Journal Entry 27 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Monday, March 24, 2008

Sending this one on it's travels tomorrow. I will try to read it sometime in the future when I have a little more time on my hands.
Ruth 

Journal Entry 28 by lauraloo29 from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Friday, April 04, 2008

Arrived safe and sound. I have a couple of bookrings before it, but I will keep it moving. Thank you! 

Journal Entry 29 by lauraloo29 from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Saturday, April 26, 2008

Struggling with this book. I'm pretty sure I would finish it eventually if I had more time. But I don't want to hold onto a ring for too long. I have read other Octavia Butler books and enjoyed them. Not sure what my problem is with this one.

On its way to England next week. Thank you for sharing! 

Journal Entry 30 by biffin44 from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Sunday, May 11, 2008

Received yesterday thank you very much. One and a half books to get through before this one but now it's here i'll make a real effort.

Thanks, 

Journal Entry 31 by biffin44 from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Friday, June 13, 2008

Right. Actually posted this book on yesterday, came home and completely forgot to do a journal entry.

I think I enjoyed this book - the voice of Dana, or maybe the writer's style, i found quite different. I will look out for her stuff in future.

Thank you 

Journal Entry 32 by biffin44 from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Friday, June 13, 2008

Right. Actually posted this book on yesterday, came home and completely forgot to do a journal entry.

I think I enjoyed this book - the voice of Dana, or maybe the writer's style, i found quite different. I will look out for her stuff in future.

Thank you 

Journal Entry 33 by wanderingstar8 from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 02, 2008

just received - thanks! 

Journal Entry 34 by wanderingstar8 from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, July 12, 2008

I really enjoyed this - a very quick and gripping read. Almost too gripping, in fact - I raced through it and only really stopped to think about what it was saying afterwards.

Posted on to the next reader. 

Journal Entry 35 by penelopewanders from Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Monday, August 11, 2008

This arrived while I was away on holiday with a few other rings... I'll try to see which can be read most swiftly and proceed that way. I still have some vacation time, so should be able to get some good reading time in. Thanks so much for making this available, it looks fascinating. 

Journal Entry 36 by penelopewanders from Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Thursday, August 21, 2008

Very well-written story of time travel and curiously entwined fates, not to mention insight into antebellum culture. The little time at "home" (in the 20th century) caused even more of a relentlessness I felt- no time for Dana to catch her breath, or even prepare other than hastily throw whatever convenient supplies were at hand into the denim bag - and grab for it while being yanked into the past. This contrasted with the careful preparation in The Doomsday Book, or even Claire's training as a doctor in the Outlander series, made Dana's impotence even starker. An excellent read, thanks so much for sharing. I've PMed for the next address and hope to have an answer soon. 

Journal Entry 37 by penelopewanders at Bookring, .---controlled release---. Switzerland on Friday, August 22, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (8/22/2008 UTC) at Bookring, .---controlled release---. Switzerland

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This terrific book is now on its way from the rainy Swiss Alps to Finland. Enjoy. 

Journal Entry 38 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Wednesday, September 03, 2008

I received Kindred in the mail two days ago, and started reading immediately, as I had been anxiously waiting for this book ever since I joined the ring. I just finished it today.

Kindred is a powerful story, so gripping that I had to put everything else aside as I couldn't wait to see what happened next to Dana and the others. Butler's words bring the past alive, and her characters feel very real. Something that resonated with me throughout the story was the way the slaves were coping with the brutality in their lives. The decisions Dana had to make, when there were no good choices available... It's so easy to criticize other peoples lives when you are privileged enough to have a choice, and to be blinded to the fact that other people might not have the same choice.

I thought Butler did an amazing job in describing the slave owners as well. I often felt impotent rage when reading, as the entitlement Rufus felt towards his slaves and especially Alice illustrated beautifully how having power over people can allow you not to see it when you are doing wrong towards somebody else. This passage on page 133 is a perfect example of entitlement:
"Yes," I repeated. "How dare she choose her own husband. She must have thought she was a free woman or something."
"What's that got to do with it?" he demanded. Then his voice dropped to almost a whisper. "I would have taken better care of her than any field hand could. I wouldn't have hurt her if she hadn't just kept saying no."

I liked the passage on page 117 where Dana reads about the holocaust, and realizes that slavery wasn't all that much different. More people were killed in a short time on concentration camps, but slavery lasted for nearly two centuries, and the amount of slaves who died because of slavery must be staggering.

I thought the introduction written by Robert Crossley made the reading experience even richer, only I thought it would work better as an afterword, as Crossley discusses the events in the book in his introduction. What he wrote about the similarities between Kevin and Rufus was interesting, and definitely something it didn't pick up on myself. His analysis on how powerlessness results in choicelessness was spot on. And when I read that Octavia Butler's grandmother worked in canefields, and how her mother had to work since the age of ten, I realized how slavery was still present, only in different form. The way Octavia's mother was treated as invisible by the white people who employed her as a housemaid sounds very similar to the way white masters treated their slaves. Not to mention, how today, immigrant workers, who work in the fruit/vegetable fields, are exploited in the US.

Kindred was the first book I read by Octavia E. Butler, and I intend to read the rest of her books as well. I also ended up buying some books mentioned in the introduction, The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez and the Amazons! anthology, which includes the first Dossouye-short story by Charles R. Saunders. For the first time in my life, I'm truly interested in reading sci-fi! :)

Thank you for including me in this ring, GorgeousGlo! I have contacted Frangipani08, I'll mail the book to her as soon as I have an address. 

Journal Entry 39 by CandyDarling at Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (9/9/2008 UTC) at Brisbane, Queensland Australia

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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I mailed the book to frangipani08 today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! :) 

Journal Entry 40 by frangipani08 from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Safely arrived in Australia. A couple of bookrings in front of this one though. I had not had a bookring arrive in ages and suddenly I have three! 

Journal Entry 41 by frangipani08 from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Sunday, October 26, 2008

This book was certainly a gripping read as I started it yesterday and today it's finished! The treatment of slaves was horrendous but seen through the eyes of a modern black person thrust back in time made it even more so. The use of this device was like removing a film from the eyes that can soften events in the past. Thanks for sharing this powerful book. I have PMed Bellamack for her address. 

Journal Entry 42 by frangipani08 from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Sunday, December 07, 2008

BellaMack asked to be skipped - have pmed Id-rather-be-at! 

Journal Entry 43 by frangipani08 at Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (1/20/2009 UTC) at Brisbane, Queensland Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Travelling to Hong Kong - mailed today to Wandering-B. 

Journal Entry 44 by wandering-B from Tai Po, New Territories Hong Kong on Saturday, January 24, 2009

Received today. Thanks, Georgeousglo for sharing and frangipani08 for sending it to me. It made quite good time! As usual, a few in front of it but it will not be long. 

Journal Entry 45 by wandering-B from Tai Po, New Territories Hong Kong on Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Hmmm, what to rate this book? I'm giving it a 7 - but perhaps due to writing style and general devices (i.e. time travel, etc.) it should be a little higher? Not sure. I did not truly enjoy this book, but it was an interesting read. The characters were pretty interesting, the story-line improbable, and the subject matter disturbing. Slavery was a horrible institution which enriched a few and generated a huge economy for the South. Reading about these lives deserves Butler's category of grim fantasy.

Heard from Vikki with her address, so this will post along to her today. Thanks again for sharing! 

Journal Entry 46 by Vikki from Hirosaki / 弘前市, Aomori-ken Japan on Saturday, March 14, 2009

Book arrived safely, thanks. 

Journal Entry 47 by Vikki from Hirosaki / 弘前市, Aomori-ken Japan on Monday, March 23, 2009

What an interesting read! I can well imagine how hard it would be for an African American woman to be drawn back to the time of slavery in the South. It would be an absolute nightmare! The idea that people are complicit in their own tragedies and would do anything to stay alive got me thinking about what I would do if I were in a similiar situation.

I see I'm the last on the last. Does the owner want the book back? I have a friend who I think would enjoy this book. May I pass it onto them? 

Journal Entry 48 by Vikki at Mailed to bookmooch member, a fellow bookmoocher -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, April 16, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (4/17/2009 UTC) at Mailed to bookmooch member, a fellow bookmoocher -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Off to Sweden!