By the Virginia Yerxa Community Read Committee
History has an uncanny way of reaching out to us and reminding us that the past is never as distant as it seems. As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, the Virginia Yerxa Community Read invites Colusa County to engage with a novel that bridges time, genre, and historical truth, urging us to look more closely at the stories we inherit.
The Virginia Yerxa Community Read is honored to announce Octavia Butler’s, “Kindred” as the 2026 book-in-common. This year’s selection recognizes the profound and growing impact of speculative fiction and science fiction on contemporary literature and cultural conversation. Butler’s masterwork stands at the crossroads of both genres, using elements of time travel and the speculative to illuminate the realities of American history in ways that traditional narratives often cannot.
Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006) is celebrated as one of the most influential science fiction authors of the 20th century. A visionary whose work blended sociology, history, imagination, and incisive commentary on the human condition, Butler reshaped what science fiction could achieve. Her storytelling expanded the genre to include deeply emotional, character-driven narratives that examine identity, race, power, and community with profound clarity.
Published in 1979, Kindred follows Dana, a young Black woman living in California in 1976, who is suddenly and repeatedly pulled back in time to a Maryland plantation in the early 1800s. Through this speculative device Butler confronts the realities of slavery with urgency and intimacy. By merging science fiction with historical fiction, Kindred challenges readers to experience history not as something distant or abstract, but as something immediate, personal, and fiercely relevant.
“Kindred” offers a vital lens through which to understand how the past continues to shape the present. Its exploration of familial lineage, resilience, injustice, and historical memory invites meaningful dialogue across generations and communities. The 2026 Virginia Read will provide opportunities to examine Butler’s contributions to the science fiction genre, the historical context of “Kindred,” and the enduring questions the novel raises.
Founded in 2009 in honor of Virginia Yerxa, whose lifelong mission was to promote literacy among Colusa County’s youth, the Virginia Yerxa Community Read brings residents together through the power of a shared book. The 2026 program will feature events that encourage discussion, creativity, and community reflection, culminating in the 17th Virginia Read Day on April 18, 2026.
Copies of “Kindred” are available at Davison Drug and at all Colusa County Free Library branches. Readers are invited to follow the VYCR Facebook and Instagram pages or visit www.virginiaread.net for the latest updates.