Nature writing of Jessica J. Lee holds an underlying activist dimension.
Jessica J. Lee, a renowned nature, identity, and place writer, has published a new book titled Dispersals. The book, out on April 25 in the UK (Hamish Hamilton) and available now in the US (Catapult), is an exploration of plant life and human migration through a series of fourteen essays, each focusing on a specific type of flora and the various homo sapiens that have interacted with it.
Lee's approach in Dispersals is informed by her own family history as a person made by both the Orientalised and the Orientalisers. In one of the essays, she delves into the history and symbolism of cherry blossoms, which were gifted as a diplomatic gesture by Japan to Berlin. The cherry blossom chapter in Dispersals traces the history of cherry blossoms, from their use as a poetic celebration of spring to their association with Japanese imperialism, death, diplomacy, and friendship. Lee examines how much symbolic weight and cultural baggage we put on non-human things, such as cherry blossoms, and describes Berlin as a city associated not with greyness but with vibrant pink.
Lee's work interweaves personal memoir, family history, botany, cultural criticism, and first-hand observations of the natural world. Her first two books, Turning (2017) and Two Trees Make a Forest (2019), established her as a celebrated nature writer. In her nature writing, Lee often brings dual perspectives into the story, reflecting her own mixed heritage and experiences with belonging. When out in nature, her curiosity and knowledge lead her to stop and observe various aspects such as leaf shapes, birdsong, or ancient glacier paths, but she also enjoys the physical experience and being tactile in nature.
Beyond her literary pursuits, Lee has also made strides in promoting diversity in nature writing. In 2018, she founded an online magazine for nature writing by writers of color called The Willowherb Review. Over five years of operation, The Willowherb Review published 70-something writers of color and reached over 70,000 readers. Notable authors published by The Willowherb Review include Sarah Howe, Jane Wong, Kit Fan, and Philip Gross.
On May 23, Jessica J. Lee will be reading at a book event at the Lobe Canteen. For more information, please visit the provided link. Dispersals is a testament to Lee's ability to weave together personal narrative, historical context, and critical analysis in a way that is both informative and engaging. It is a must-read for anyone interested in nature, culture, and the complex interplay between the two.
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