It's Only the End of the World Book Club - The Parable of the Sower

“It’s the end of the world every day, for someone.”
– Margaret Atwood

As the bustle of our workday fades, we invite you to leave behind the noise and join us in the serene embrace of the St Andrews Botanic Garden. We delve into stories and reflections that challenge our understanding of the world as we know it. Together, we’ll consider themes of ecological collapse, transformation, and the ways in which we might engage with these monumental shifts.

Octavia Butler The Parable of the Sower (1993)

‘We are coming apart. We're a rope, breaking, a single strand at a time.’

America is a place of chaos, where violence rules and only the rich and powerful are safe. Lauren Olamina, a young woman with the extraordinary power to feel the pain of others as her own, records everything she sees of this broken world in her journal.

Then, one terrible night, everything alters beyond recognition, and Lauren must make her voice heard for the sake of those she loves.

Soon, her vision becomes reality and her dreams of a better way to live gain the power to change humanity forever.

Themes: Climate Change and Environmental Collapse, Social and Economic Inequality, Survival and Adaptation, Religion and Belief Systems, Community and Solidarity, Identity and Personal Growth, Hope and Transformation.

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About the Reading Group

In this reading group, we’ll journey through both fiction and non-fiction, where we’ll unearth narratives that encourage us to question, reflect, and reimagine what might come after the end. In shared conversation, we’ll ask what it means to live through moments of profound change, and how literature can equip us to witness and engage with these shifts.

Whether you are a seasoned reader of ecocritical literature, or someone simply interested in the intersection of the written word and the natural world, this group encourages diverse perspectives. We’ll be reading the chosen texts beforehand, and coming together to discuss them in a relaxed, open-minded atmosphere.

No matter your familiarity with the material, we encourage everyone to share their thoughts, and questions as we explore the themes together. As we go along, we’ll adapt our discussions to the group’s interests and pace, allowing room for both joint exploration and personal reflection.

Essential Information:

Minimum age 18. Please bring your own reading/writing materials.

The entrance fee covers access to the garden, as well as tea, coffee, shortbread, and water. Free RSVP for those with exisiting admission tickets for this date, students and Friends Members.

As this is an out of hours event, please meet at the main gate to the Garden at 6pm. If you are running late, please notify Anne Daffertshofer via adaffertshoferstandrewsbotanic.org (Subject line: late/book club).

Also check out other Arts events in St Andrews, Literary Art events in St Andrews, Nightclubs in St Andrews.