Jori Lewis—A Natural History of the Spirits: On Ecology, Belonging, and the Sublime

Advance copy: Backstories on books by NASW members

Cover of the book A Natural History of the Spirits by Jori Lewis, showing a flowering plant.
A Natural History of the Spirits
A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SPIRITS:
ON ECOLOGY, BELONGING, AND THE SUBLIME
Jori Lewis
The New Press, 11/10/2026
Price of Hardcover: $26.99
Price of ebook: $26.99
ISBN: 978-1620979631

Lewis reports:

My writing has always focused on how humans interact with their environments. My first book, Slaves for Peanuts, was a work of history that engaged directly with this question, considering how, by looking at a crop, I could uncover a story about colonialism, global markets, slavery, and the unending frontier of land and people exploitation. That book had a remove and an authoritative tone, but, at the same time, I was also writing essays about ecology that involved more of myself — in which I was mediating between concerns about the environment, history, the spiritual practices people often use to make sense of the world — questions that were sometimes frowned upon in scientific circles.

Portrait of Jori Lewis
Jori Lewis
A Natural History of the Spirits came together because of this curiosity, and incorporated some essays that had already been written and some that were created for this book. It was a completely different process than my previous book, which took me nearly a decade of research and writing and focused on a single topic. For this project, my mind could move from topic to topic, from termites to migratory birds to the prairie, and it was all part of the work. One of my biggest goals was to create a kind of linked essay collection. As a reader, I often abandon essay collections since there’s not always a narrative thread to take me through the manuscript. So I wanted to put my essay collection together in such a way that, when taken together, the essays told a coherent and complete story. In this sense, I consider A Natural History of the Spirits to be a kind of essay cycle, in which elements reappear and build on each other.

My agent and editor were hoping that I would write another big history book (and I may still do that one day), but once I discussed this essay collection with them, they were on board with it. People kept telling me that essay collections don’t really sell, so I feel lucky that my publisher decided to bet on this one.

Contact info:

NASW members: Will your book be published soon? Promote it by submitting your report for Advance Copy.

Tell your fellow NASW members how you came up with the idea for your book, developed a proposal, found an agent and publisher, funded and conducted research, and put the book together. Include what you wish you had known before you began working on your book or what you might have done differently.

See https://www.nasw.org/advance-copy-submission-guidelines. NASW member login required.

View Advance Copy archives at https://www.nasw.org/member-article/advance-copy.

Thinking of writing a book? If you are a NASW member, you may access a list of more than 200 books and online resources to help you craft your book proposal, find an agent and funding sources, negotiate your contract, learn about self-publishing, publicize and market your book, and more at https://www.nasw.org/article/write-book.

View the recording of a recent Virtual Skills Chat presented by NASW’s Freelance Committee The existential challenges of self-promotion. NASW member login required.

View the recording of a recent Virtual Skills Chat presented by NASW’s Freelance Committee Using Generative A.I. as Writers and Editors. NASW member login required.

View the recording of a recent Virtual Skills Chat presented by NASW’s Editing Committee How to Break into Editing. NASW member login required.

View the recording of a Virtual Business Chat presented by NASW’s Freelance Committee and Advance Copy column Writing Wikipedia Profiles. NASW member login required.

View the recording of an Advance Copy Virtual Business Chat, A Primer for Authors on Book Publicity. NASW member login required.

Send book info and questions about book publishing to Sarah Scoles, NASW book editor, sarah.scoles@gmail.com.

Banner image adapted from original photo by Author’s Name.

NASW invites publishers and publicists to purchase NASW website ads to promote their authors and books via NASW’s self-service purchasing portal.

Advance Copy

The path from idea to book may take myriad routes. The Advance Copy column, started in 2000 by NASW volunteer book editor Lynne Lamberg, features NASW authors telling the stories behind their books. Authors are asked to report how they got their idea, honed it into a proposal, found an agent and a publisher, funded and conducted their research, and organized their writing process. They also are asked to share what they wish they’d known when they started or would do differently next time, and what advice they can offer aspiring authors. Lamberg edits the authors’ answers to produce the Advance Copy reports.

October 2026 update: Lamberg now serves as NASW’s book editor emerita. A team of volunteer interim editors currently produces Advance Copy reports. The editor’s name appears at the end of each report.

NASW members: Will your book be published soon? Visit www.nasw.org/advance-copy-submission-guidelines for information on submitting your report.

Publication of NASW author reports in Advance Copy does not constitute NASW's endorsement of any publication or the ideas, values, or material contained within or espoused by authors or their books. We hope this column stimulates productive discussions on important topics now and in the future as both science and societies progress. We welcome your discussion in the comments section below.

ADVERTISEMENT