" The Evolution of Fire is stunningly written--vivid in imagery, in the braiding together of language, and in the honoring of every person it shines a light on. But, beyond that, I found the gift of this book to be in its rich self-awareness, its patience with every movement, and especially its care for the self." --Hanif Abdurraqib, author of There's Always This Year "I read The Evolution of Fire in a near breathless fugue, utterly under the spell of Angela Pelster's lyrical, wise reflections on how a body and mind are shaped by crisis. Though perfect for fans of Jo Ann Beard and Rebecca Solnit, this book is entirely its own--a memoir-in-essays that made me rethink not only how personal stories can be told, but the stories I tell about my own life." --Erica Berry, author of Wolfish "This book is breathtakingly great--with blazing lyricism and controlled precision, Angela Pelster's examinations spread from a father's 'white-hot' rage to a house fire to a planet on fire, yet she remains tenderhearted, 'so grateful to have been here and to be here still.' The Evolution of Fire also contains playfulness, humor, and so much love. She even fit a fable inside--an unusual choice for a memoir-in-essays, yet here it feels necessary. Pelster is brilliant, one of the most versatile nonfiction writers working today.

" --Jeannie Vanasco, author of A Silent Treatment "Angela Pelster is a writer as wise as she is miraculous. In The Evolution of Fire , she teaches us what it means to lose and to suffer, to watch flames ravaging everything and yet to remain, as she phrases it, tenderhearted--open to this world, despite its violence. This book that made me weep, made me shiver in fear, but it also made me laugh with delight. It is a book about time and a book for this time." --Sarah Viren, author of To Name the Bigger Lie "Angela Pelster has given us a book as tender as it is precise, generous in its observations about the natural world, our shared and fractured histories, and the ways in which those who are meant to care for us best can also do the most harm. The Evolution of Fire is a map for how we might love one another, this planet, and ourselves with more kindness and grace. It's also just very beautiful." --Kristen Radtke, author of Seek You "At once contemplative and urgent, The Evolution of Fire snakes through personal, national, and ecological crises, offering new ways of remembering our ancient capacities for care and survival.

This book feels like the opposite of doomscrolling--every sentence is lush, simmering, resilient." --Sonya Bilocerkowycz, author of On Our Way Home from the Revolution "Searing. Angela Pelster takes us back in time, deep within our most private selves, and to the precipice of everything that matters. In intense flashes and slow burns, these urgent, lyric, searching essays chronicle a life, a planet, and the mechanisms of becoming. I am shaken. This book has changed the way I think of crisis--and where we stand now." --A. Kendra Greene, author of No Less Strange or Wonderful.