An American Covenant

An Autostraddle fall book to look out for A Lambda Literary most anticipated LGBTQ book of October “Journalist Scott delivers an in-depth look at five ‘feminist mystics’ from American history in her provocative debut…[and] reveals how the female leaders of these movements have risen to prominence and been repressed by the powers that be…In addition to biographical sketches of each woman, Scott provides the historical context for their movements, and details her own search for identity and spiritual solace amid personal turmoil…Scott writes with blunt honesty, a sharp eye for detail, and a strong sense of purpose. The result is an impassioned tribute to the perseverance and radicalism of female spiritual leaders in America.” —Publishers Weekly “In a moment when witches are going mainstream and stepping up to hex corrupt and powerful men, Lucile Scott’s An American Covenant, which centers on five witchy women who influenced American spirituality and culture, couldn’t be more timely to read.” —Bustle “[An American Covenant]’s narrative is focused, its prose is sharp, and the timing of its release—on the eve of an election that has millions worrying over the nation’s soul—is impeccable.” —Washington Independent Review of Books “This book is about another kind of sisterhood: the witchy kind. A reporter on human rights and international health, writer Scott brings her journalist skills to rendering the lives of five ‘mystic’ women who each shaped American culture in some way. Marie Laveau, Cora L. V. Scott, Helena Blavatsky, Zsuzsanna Budapest, and Marianne Williamson all spoke—and hexed—truth to power. Even though they lived over the span of 300 years and weren’t actually in a coven together, Scott argues that these five women all powerfully defied the patriarchy, and makes a compelling case for knowing their fascinating stories.” —Shondaland “Poetic and vulnerable…With An American Covenant, Lucile Scott has unearthed and cohered tales of a particular feminine and queer counterculture across centuries, deftly navigating historical storytelling in which many details have moldered with the years.” —Guernica Magazine “An American Covenant is potent, important, invigorating and even a little spooky. In this delicious blend of memoir and ethnography, Scott has taken us down a rabbit hole that old, crusty, colonial history books should’ve given us should they only have been so honest. I devoured this book, learned a great deal about little known people who shaped the world fiercely, and even discovered a good bit about myself. This is one hell of a book!” —Mira Ptacin, award-winning author of Poor Your Soul and The In-Betweens: The Spiritualists, Mediums, and Legends of Camp Etna “As someone who’s long tried to resist the ‘woo,’ An American Covenant was an eye opening and delightful read. It beautifully strikes a balance between modern day feminism and ancient mysticism that gives all of us permission to embrace the unknown to better shape today’s world.” —Franchesca Ramsey, host of MTV Decoded and author of Well, That Escalated Quickly “Journalist Lucile Scott writes the way Van Gough painted; with swirling use of vivid, colorful prose lavished onto a canvas of dreamy sequences, An American Covenant culminates into a gorgeous work of art worthy of its own exhibition. Scott escorts us along her time-traveling journey, breathing new life into pathways long since forgotten, while showcasing five spectacular women—all mystics, whose influence on our history and inroads into dismantling the patriarchal power structure have never been fully honored. Until now. An absolutely enchanting and enlightening read.” —Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of Ghoul Interrupted and Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls “[Lucile] is the Anthony Bourdain of mysticism.” —Brian Vines, BRIC Media “Lucile Scott has her finger on an important pulse point, a hidden history that flows like a through line in American history. Women mystics have been a transformative underground from our earliest beginnings…and it continues.” —Marianne Williason, author of A Return to Love and A Politics of Love