I’m thrilled to announce Conversation Tree Press will be publishing a letterpress-printed, limited edition of Octavia Butler’s Kindred. First published in 1979, Butler’s groundbreaking novel delves into themes of race, power, resilience, and gender, transcending traditional boundaries and establishing itself as a cornerstone of African American literature.

Kindred transports readers across time, following the protagonist Dana as she is repeatedly pulled from her 1970s Los Angeles home to the antebellum South of the early nineteenth century, where she is exposed to the brutal realities of slavery.

Butler’s storytelling not only provides an unflinching look at the horrors of this era but also delves into the complex relationships that arise from such an oppressive system. By blending elements of science fiction with historical fiction, Kindred challenges readers to reconsider their understanding of history and its ongoing influence on contemporary society.

This seminal novel has earned its place as a classic in American literature, celebrated for its depth, creativity, and the profound questions it raises. It is an unforgettable journey that confronts the reader with the stark contrasts and haunting echoes between the past and the present, and a timeless narrative that speaks to the human spirit’s enduring quest for freedom and justice.

Conversation Tree Press is named after a tree that stood in the neighbourhood where I grew up in Guyana, an area once known as Plantation Belair when it was still the colony British Guiana. While it is no longer a plantation or colony, the impacts of colonialism continue to resonate to this day.

For me, publishing this edition is not just about bringing a significant work of literature to readers in a format befitting its status; it is also about acknowledging and reflecting on the lasting legacies of oppression and the resilience required to overcome them.

Kindred will be published in three states: Collector’s, Deluxe, and Lettered. We are still early in production and the release date is not yet set.