About this episode
During Black History month, Book of the Day is bringing you some interviews from the archives, including this one with author Octavia Butler. Butler wrote many sci-fi classics, like the Parable series and Kindred, so she's accustomed to imagining different worlds. NPR's Scott Simon asked her back in 2001 to imagine a world without racism. Butler believed that in racism's place we would have to have absolute empathy. But she told Simon that this would most certainly present its own challenges – and we would probably just find something else to fight about.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Get every episode summarized
Each time NPR's Book of the Day publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from NPR's Book of the Day
To combat the 'Artificial State,' Jill Lepore says to look to science fiction
NPR's Book of the Day
Sep 8, 20267:32completed
Author Liane Moriarty on her long-awaited sequel to 'Big Little Lies'
NPR's Book of the Day
Sep 7, 20269:42completed
New music books take on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' and the history of music and pr...
NPR's Book of the Day
Sep 4, 202617:19completed
New book evaluates President Biden's legacy as midterm elections approach
NPR's Book of the Day
Sep 3, 202610:35failed