Jessica J. Lee's assertion: "My nature writing carries an underlying activist undertone"

Jessica J. Lee, a renowned author known for her unique blend of personal memoir, family history, botany, cultural criticism, and first-hand observations of the natural world, has written a new book titled Dispersals. This fascinating collection of essays is now available in the US (Catapult), and will be released in the UK on Apr 25 (Hamish Hamilton).

Dispersals is a thought-provoking exploration of plant life and human migration. Each essay in the book tells the story of a particular type of flora and the various homo sapiens that have interacted with it. Lee resists the stereotyped version of nature writing that focuses on the deep continuous history of one place, as the plants in her book are constantly moving around.

One of the most captivating chapters in Dispersals is the one dedicated to cherry blossoms. This chapter traces the history of cherry blossoms, from their use as a poetic celebration of spring to their association with Japanese imperialism and death, and their contemporary representation of diplomacy and friendship. The cherry blossoms in Berlin, for instance, were gifted as a diplomatic gesture by Japan, and are now synonymous with the city's vibrant pink hue rather than its traditional grey image.

Lee's approach in Dispersals is informed by her personal experiences as a person of multiple nationalities and a history of migration. She examines the symbolic weight and cultural baggage we put on non-human things like plants, and how they shape our perceptions and interactions with the natural world.

In addition to her literary pursuits, Lee is also an avid outdoors enthusiast. She enjoys activities such as hiking and swimming, and her curiosity often leads her to stop and observe natural details like mosses, lichens, trees, and ferns.

From 2018 to 2022, Lee founded and ran The Willowherb Review, an online magazine for nature writing by writers of colour. The magazine published 70-something writers of colour and reached over 70,000 readers during its operation.

On May 23, Lee will be reading at a book event at the Lobe Canteen. Dispersals consists of fourteen essays, each telling the border-crossing story of one particular type of flora and the various homo sapiens that have captured, cultivated, exploited, or admired it. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in nature, history, and the interconnectedness of the human and natural world.

Jessica J. Lee's assertion: "My nature writing carries an underlying activist undertone"