To accompany our spring 2024 issue (21.1), we have curated a folio on jealousy and envy. Reading Ravi Mangla’s story “Flavors of Tuscany” in particular inspired us to put together this feature. We initially called it just a “jealousy” feature, which describes what happens in Mangla’s story, but we then expanded it to cover the concept of envy. Though most dictionaries have accepted that jealousy and envy are used nearly synonymously in our culture, the Chicago Manual of Style says, “Jealousy connotes feelings of resentment toward another, particularly in matters relating to an intimate relationship {sexual jealousy}. Envy refers to coveting another’s advantages, possessions, or abilities {his transparent envy of others’ successes}.” For the most part, we follow that formulation of the terms.
Contents
- Noah Berlatsky, “I was envious of Anna Akhmatova. So I translated her poems, sort of.”
- Mugabi Byenkya, “On Being Envious of Able-Bodied Writers from the Global North”
- J. D. Harlock, “Sympathy for the Devil: Garnering Sympathy for Your Envious Villains”
- Lisa Low, “On Envy and Time: A Craft Essay”
- Colleen Rothman, “Sitting Tight While Others Celebrate: Navigating Envy While on Submission”
- Adam Sobsey, “The Music is Envy: On James Salter’s A Sport and a Pastime“