Envy - The Seven Deadly Sins

Part of a series of highly entertaining books on the history of sinning.

While each of the other six deadly sins area a guilty pleasure, 'the green-eyed monster', as it is often called, is no fun. Jacob Epstein considers what the experts have written about envy, schadenfreude, and resentment, and how it operates under different political systems. Why is it so powerful that it can so easily overpower sense and caution? Could it ever be wiped from the map of humankind's nastier emotions? The author bravely offers his own experiences of envy, and his prescription for removing it from one's psychic economy. This is a refreshingly honest and very entertaining account of a very old sin.

Summary

Part of a series of books on the history of sinning. This work considers what the experts have written about envy, schadenfreude, and resentment, and how it operates under different political systems.

Additional text

'Simon Blackburn on lust and Joseph Epstein on envy have produced little classics: written, researched and argued exemplarily, they take their topics seriously but discuss them with elegance and humour as well as insight. Francine Prose on gluttony joins them at the top of the list with a kind and thoughtful meditation.'

Report

erudite and entertaining Julian Baggini, The Guardian (Review)

Product details

• Authors: Joseph Epstein
• Publisher: New York Public Library
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.01.2003
• EAN: 9780195158120
• ISBN: 978-0-19-515812-0
• No. of pages: 144
• Dimensions: 136 mm x 342 mm x 12 mm
• Weight: 252 g
• Illustrations: 7 line drawings
• Series: Seven Deadly Sins; Seven Deadly Sins; New York Public Library Lectur
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > Miscellaneous; Non-fiction book > Psychology, esoterics, spirituality, anthroposophy > Psychology: general, reference works; PHILOSOPHY / Religious, PSYCHOLOGY / General, PHILOSOPHY / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Psychology, RELIGION / Philosophy, RELIGION / Psychology of Religion, Ethics & moral philosophy, Ethics and moral philosophy, Philosophy of religion