The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary

The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary by Terry Tempest Williams is a work of narrative nonfiction, nature writing, memoir, and spiritual reflection that explores beauty, climate change, grief, hope, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

The book introduces the idea of “Glorians”—not as supernatural beings, but as ordinary yet profound encounters with the living world: animals, plants, memories, moments, and natural phenomena that reveal the interconnectedness and sacredness of everyday life. Williams reflects on small wonders, such as an ant carrying a flower or the vastness of the night sky, showing how paying attention can transform the way we understand our place on Earth.

Set partly during the COVID-19 pandemic and drawing from Williams’s experiences in the Utah desert and her work at Harvard Divinity School, the book considers how times of crisis—climate instability, social division, and uncertainty—can also become opportunities for deeper awareness, compassion, and renewal.

Through lyrical essays and personal reflections, Williams invites readers to slow down, witness the overlooked beauty around them, and recognize the “holy ordinary” moments that connect all forms of life.