Once upon a time, there was a shy, dreamy kid who wouldn’t stop writing. Her name was Octavia -- a girl with social anxiety and dyslexia who wrote some of the most amazing science fiction novels about wild futures, space adventures, and superhuman people. She wrote more than a dozen books and is now known as the Grand Dame of Science Fiction.
About the Narr ... Show More
Jul 23
Get To Know Randi Zuckerberg
Get to know Randi Zuckerberg, who narrated the story of computer programmer Grace Hopper. Randi, one of the early employees at Facebook, is the best selling author of four books, and producer of multiple television shows and theater productions to help kids have “aha moments” abo ... Show More
5m 39s
Jul 21
Grace Hopper Read by Randi Zuckerberg
In this episode, the Queen of Code! Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper was the third-ever programmer for the world’s first programmable computer, the Mark I. Through her years of service to the U.S. Navy and private business, including during World War II, Grace helped push the bound ... Show More
20m 27s
Mar 2023
Octavia E. Butler: Visionary black sci-fi writer
In 1995, Octavia E Butler became the first author to receive a MacArthur “genius” award for science fiction writing. From a young age she dreamed of writing books, but faced many challenges, including poverty, sexism and racism in the publishing industry. She died aged 58 in 2006 ... Show More
8m 58s
Feb 2024
Episode 4: THE PASSAGE OF OCTAVIA BUTLER
In this visionary and introspective episode of The Passage, the Ferryman, voiced by Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, The Walking Dead), welcomes a soul whose pen crafted worlds and whose imagination reshaped the boundaries of science fiction. Octavia Butler vo ... Show More
23m 55s
Feb 2022
Octavia Butler imagines a world without racism
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 Sim ... Show More
8m 35s
Jan 2015
Amazing Grace Princess of Space — Every Creature
In the black depths of space, where star ships travel faster than the law, there is a new and wild frontier. Colonists settle strange planets, pirates smuggle exotic goods, and bold heroes eke out livings with the sweat of their brows and the triggers of their blasters. In this b ... Show More
17m 28s