The kin of Ata are waiting for you =
Subtitle: formerly published as The comforter
By: Dorothy Bryant
Edition: The Comforter, First publication. The Kin Of Ata Are Waiting For You, final publication
Series: The Kin Of Ata Are Waiting For You
Publisher: Moon Books
Published: 1971
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 220
Copyright date: 1971
Other titles: The Comforter
Work titles: Comforter
Description: The Kin of Ata Are Waiting for You is a 1971 novel by American writer Dorothy Bryant. Blending utopian fantasy with spiritual allegory and science fiction, the book follows a self-centered man’s eye-opening journey to a mystical island society governed by dreams ￼. Originally self-published after mainstream publishers rejected it, the novel later gained a cult following and was picked up by Random House, remaining in print for decades ￼. It has been praised as a unique, thought-provoking tale – author Alice Walker even called it “one of my favorite books in all the world” ￼. Below, we provide a detailed plot summary, discuss the main themes, examine its critical reception, and outline current availability in various formats.
Table of contents: title: The story begins in the “real” world, where the unnamed protagonist is a ruthless, egotistical writer living an immoral life. Once a poet and professor, he has exploited his fame and others around him to achieve success – seducing his students, marrying for money and connections, and becoming a bestselling novelist by dubious means ￼. In the opening scene, during a drug-fueled fight, he murders his girlfriend (or at least fatally injures her) ￼. Panicked, he flees by car, but crashes off a road. When he awakens from the accident, he finds himself mysteriously transported to the island of Ata, a place that seemingly exists outside our physical reality ￼.; title: Life on Ata: On the island, the protagonist is nursed back to health by the inhabitants, who call themselves “the Kin.” The Kin of Ata at first appear primitive, living simply and communally. They are a peaceful, multiracial society – comprised of people of all races and speaking a language that blends words from many tongues ￼. Notably, their culture has no fixed gender roles or hierarchy, and even their pronouns are unique (Bryant’s novel was among the first in English speculative fiction to introduce invented gender-neutral pronouns) ￼. Every aspect of life on Ata is guided by dreams: by day they farm, create art, and live in harmony, but their true “work” happens in the dream realm, which they explore each night and then share through ritual storytelling each morning ￼. The Kin believe their dreaming is not idle fantasy but an essential duty that maintains balance in the real world ￼. In fact, as the protagonist learns, the dream-life of Ata supports and influences reality – the island’s strong dreamers spiritually counterbalance the harm done by people like him in our world ￼.; title: Transformation of the Protagonist: At first, the cynical protagonist resists the ways of Ata. He finds their spiritual, cooperative lifestyle baffling and even infuriating, given his own selfish and violent instincts. Dorothy Bryant described him as being “dragged kicking and screaming to his own salvation” ￼ – indeed, the Kin often must subdue or correct him when he behaves aggressively or breaks their taboos. Over time, however, living among the Kin begins to profoundly change him. Through a series of visions, dream rituals, and personal trials (including a relationship with a Kin woman who challenges him to confront his past actions), he gradually sheds his egotism and guilt. The man comes to understand Ata’s philosophy: that embracing imagination, empathy, and dreams is the path to inner growth – a direct contrast to his previous life of cynicism. In one revelatory moment, he realizes Ata is essentially “a higher plane of existence” and that its dream-centered way of life is “a powerful force for good” in the universe ￼. By the end of his sojourn, the protagonist is transformed – spiritually awakened and prepared to atone for his old life.