About the author
Simone Kotva's two listed books sit at the intersection of religious studies, philosophy, and folklore. Ecologies of Ecstasy: Mysticism, Philosophy, and Vegetal Life (Columbia University Press, 2026) asks what religious contemplation might learn from plant life, drawing on critical plant studies and continental philosophy to recast mystical practice through the lens of vegetal being. Cyprianus: St. Cyprian and the Black Book in Scandinavian Folklore (Hadean Press, 2025) turns to a different tradition, tracing the Cyprianus grimoire through Scandinavian folk magic and situating it alongside the better-known Iberian Cyprian tradition. Together the two books show a writer working across academic and folklore-specialist presses, equally comfortable with philosophical argument and with the history of a specific magical text. Readers drawn to the philosophy of religion, plant studies, or the history of grimoires and folk magic in Northern Europe are the intended audience for this body of work.
📖 Where to start with Simone Kotva
💬 What our editors say about Simone Kotva's books
“Kotva presents a bold thesis that mystical union resembles vegetal being, unearthing a marginalized tradition within Christian history. While intellectually stimulating for those versed in theological history, this book is not…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Ecologies of Ecstasy: Mysticism, Philosophy, and Vegetal Life
“Kotva’s work stands out by prioritizing folklore context over simple textual translation, offering a fresh perspective on the Cyprianic tradition. However, readers seeking a practical, step-by-step manual for immediate magical…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Cyprianus: St. Cyprian and the Black Book in Scandinavian Folklore
