The portrait of Butler not simply as a genius, but as a human being riddled with insecurities and despair, is what makes Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler by Susana M. Morris such a moving and welcome biography ... A very fine examination of her books, how she wrote them, what inspired her, and the highs and lows of her career. But Morris’s most ingenious choice is to focus on the most personal elements of Butler’s life as well.
Reveal[s] the ways Butler…was a luminary in the genre, meaningfully attuned to the struggles of many … One of the most valuable contributions of Positive Obsession is its insight into what…[Butler’s] determination entailed … One of the biography’s most compelling themes is Butler’s sustained critique of American imperialism … Morris creates a rounded portrait of a working writer … Moves fluidly between Butler’s novels and the moments that shaped them … Morris convincingly suggests that Butler’s fiction offers the clearest insight into her life and worldview … This biography could not be more timely … Morris…delivers…with the requisite care and clarity we need to see Butler’s enduring vision with fresh eyes and renewed resolve.
Tender ... Heartfelt ... At times, it feels more like a prayer than a biography. It is a moving tribute, an affirmation that Butler’s work found exactly the audience she intended ... Morris’s love and deep respect for Octavia E. Butler more than shine through even without overly reverent language ... It is odd, then, that Positive Obsession occasionally slips into a defensive tone, as though explaining away perceived shortcomings in Butler’s career ... Morris’s prose is devoid of any of the stuffiness of a scholar’s biography and sometimes feels like memoir or fiction. It’s an extremely smooth read, but the presentation of Butler’s interior thoughts occasionally muddies who is speaking, fusing Butler and Morris into one mind.
Morris’ dive into Butler’s voluminous writings has yielded some gems ... Morris is particularly acute in writing about Butler’s unexpected emergence as 'a midwife of contemporary Black feminism' ... Morris’ astute literary analysis shows how through imagining hostile dystopias rife with political and social upheaval ...
Morris’ fascinating, readable and relatively brief biography certainly will draw new readers to Butler’s work. From whichever direction readers arrive at Positive Obsession, they will find it a surprising, illuminating, even uplifting read.
Morris’ earnest exploration is not only fortified by the deep research into Butler’s extensive journals but also provides insightful commentary on the novels and short stories that have cultivated countless devotees ... Positive Obsession is as keen in its literary insight as it is an exultant survey of a towering literary figure.
Unique ... Morris powerfully frames Butler’s work and career through her politics and personal struggles ... A moving study of the life and creative pursuits of a literary pioneer
