Description
Book SynopsisEnvy is a universal emotion, yet people are very reluctant to confess their envy of another. In Embracing Envy, Josh Gressel suggests it is our shame at admitting we feel inferior to another person that keeps envy so hidden. Through interviews with everyday people, reviews of mainstream psychological research, and lessons from wisdom literature, this book delves into how envy can be seen as meaningful and useful in our daily lives.
Trade ReviewA very interesting and valuable analysis of envy. -- Aaron Ben-Ze’ev, author of The Subtlety of Emotions, professor of philosophy, University of Haifa
This is one of the best books that I have ever read on any emotion, but envy especially. . . . Gressel covers a remarkable range of scholarly work on envy, from religious treatments, tough psychoanalytic ideas, to contemporary experimental work in social psychology. He weaves his consistently innovative analysis of these perspectives with well-chosen interviews with people who speak frankly about their experiences with envy. These interviews, as well as candid accounts of his own struggles with envy, help keep Gressel’s analysis grounded in the everyday world. -- Richard Smith, author of The Joy of Pain: Schadenfreude and the Dark Side of Human Nature, professor of psychology, University of Kentucky
An interesting book that offers an exploration of a universal emotion that has remained largely hidden from view! The author develops an original perspective on envy integrating thoughts by a large panel of authors coming from social sciences and humanities as well as clinical observations related to his activity as a psychologist. A living and personal essay one reads with pleasure. -- Bénédicte Vidaillet, author of Workplace Envy, professor of work and organizational psychology, University of Paris East, France
