The Glorians

By: Terry Tempest Williams

Published by Grove Press, 2026-03-03

In this time of political fragility, climate chaos, and seeking beauty wherever we can find its glimmer, Terry Tempest Williams introduces us to the Glorians. They are not distant deities, but the ordinary, often overlooked presences - animal, plant, memory, moment - that reveal our shared vulnerability and interconnectedness with the natural world. The Glorians can be as small as an ant ferrying a coyote willow blossom to its queen or as commonplace as the night sky. But when they can collectively show us - about the radical art of attending to beauty and carrying forward against all odds - is immense. Journeying through encounters with the Glorians from the red rock desert of Utah during the pandemic to Harvard University where she teaches at the Divinity School, Williams weaves a story of astonishing personal and societal insight. As she grapples with the unsettled state of the world, she turns not to despair but to deep reflection. She sees how the Glorians are calling us to attention, not as an army, but as fellow inhabitants of our sacred, threatened home. They remind us of the power of contact between species and the profound courage - and awareness - it will take to dream a more cohesive future into being. Wise and lyrical, The Glorians is a testament to the power of witness. Terry Tempest Williams offers honest sustenance to the mind and spirit and distinguishes herself again as a trusted voice to whom we can turn, to more fully understand our times.