Over the past couple of years, I have read more short stories. Short stories have added an extra dimension to my reading life and diversified my reading. I have become a bona fide short story reader and these eight stories are my all-time favorites. I've divided my...
Marion’s Sixteen All-Time Favorite Novels (Part One)
by MHill | Nov 26, 2023 | Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
The number 16 symbolizes trust, intuition, balance, and leaning into your own wisdom. In addition, it's a number that isn't commonly seen on all-time lists, but I thought it was the right choice for my list of favorite novels. It's getting close to the time of year...
Best Book Ever Podcast: Episode 83
by MHill | Jan 25, 2022 | Best Book Ever Podcast, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Octavia Butler, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
My second appearance on the Best Book Ever Podcast aired today. The host, Julie Strauss, and I discussed one of my all time favorite novels, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. I have read this novel 3 times (when it first came in October 1993, then 10 years...
Marion’s 2022 Reading Challenge
by MHill | Dec 30, 2021 | Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I have seen quite a few reading challenges on social media in the few past days. A new year is coming and readers are posting their challenges on how many books they want to read in 2022. Or what types of books they want to focus on reading in the new year and so...
Can an all-time favorite book be reread?
by MHill | Nov 1, 2021 | Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Can you one of your all-time favorite books be read more than once and is still an all-time favorite? That's the question I've been coming to terms with after reading Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler for the third time recently. Parable of the Sower is on the...
Wisdom From Kammbia Story Review 3: Speech Sounds by Octavia E. Butler
by MHill | May 23, 2021 | Octavia Butler, Short Story Review, Wisdom From Kammbia Column, Wisdom of Kammbia Story Review
What if you lived in a society where speaking is a threat to the social order? Octavia Butler speculated on the aforementioned question in her Hugo Award-winning short story, Speech Sounds. I came across this story when it was discussed on the Novel Pairing Podcast....
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 50: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
by MHill | Jul 19, 2020 | 2020 Book Reviews, Black History Month, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorite Duologies, Octavia Butler, Rereading Series, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I want to update a review from 2012 for one of my all-time favorite novels, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Parable of the Sower is the story of Lauren Olamina, a teenager growing up in a grim LA suburb where their gated community provided a semblance of a...
Marion’s Black Author Reading List
by MHill | Jun 8, 2020 | Binti Series, Black History Month, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I have been deeply affected (and many Americans) by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th. Seeing a human being die like that should never happen in a civilized society. As a black man, I saw my worst fears come to light once again. Also, I’m a book...
Book Review 92: Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
by MHill | Oct 2, 2016 | 2016 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorite Duologies, Octavia Butler
There has not been a novel that caused such discomfort, challenge my assumptions, or made me defensive while reading like Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler. It is the sequel to Parable of the Sower and continues Lauren Olamina's quest to create a new religion,...