Envy, irritation, paranoia—in contrast to powerful and dynamic negative emotions like anger, these non-cathartic states of feeling are associated with situations in which action is blocked or suspended. In her examination of the cultural forms to which these affects give rise, Sianne Ngai suggests that these minor and more politically ambiguous feelings become all the more suited for diagnosing the character of late modernity. Along with her inquiry into the aesthetics of unprestigious negative affects such as irritation, envy, and disgust, Ngai examines a racialized affect called “animatedness,” and a paradoxical synthesis of shock and boredom called “stuplimity.” She explores the politically equivocal work of these affective concepts in the cultural contexts where they seem most at stake, from academic feminist debates to the Harlem Renaissance, from late-twentieth-century American poetry to Hollywood film and network television. Through readings of Herman Melville, Nella Larsen, Sigmund Freud, Alfred Hitchcock, Gertrude Stein, Ralph Ellison, John Yau, and Bruce Andrews, among others, Ngai shows how art turns to ugly feelings as a site for interrogating its own suspended agency in the affirmative culture of a market society, where art is tolerated as essentially unthreatening. Ngai mobilizes the aesthetics of ugly feelings to investigate not only ideological and representational dilemmas in literature—with a particular focus on those inflected by gender and race—but also blind spots in contemporary literary and cultural criticism. Her work maps a major intersection of literary studies, media and cultural studies, feminist studies, and aesthetic theory.

DANAI MUPOTSA was born in Harare, and has lived in Botswana, the United States and South Africa where she is now based. She describes herself as a teacher and writer. Feeling and Ugly was largely written between 2016 and 2018, although some of the poems were written earlier or previously published in some form. The collection gathers the various statuses and locations she moves across, as daughter, mother, teacher, scholar and writer. From these places, many of the poems try to approach difficult feelings about what it means to “do politics” from an empathetic complexity. “I’m raging, sometimes that makes me petty” is one such example. The collection carries a set of standpoints, or willfulness about pedagogy, politics and optimism. And while she carries an attachment to a non-reparative, or negative affect across the collection, she closes in describing the work, or all of her work, as love poems. This collection is a long love letter to those who are wilful.

A funny, moving, and true story of an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face that's perfect for fans of Wonder—now available in the U.S. When Robert Hoge was born, he had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs. Surgeons removed the tumor and made him a new nose from one of his toes. Amazingly, he survived—with a face that would never be the same. Strangers stared at him. Kids called him names, and adults could be cruel, too. Everybody seemed to agree that he was “ugly.” But Robert refused to let his face define him. He played pranks, got into trouble, had adventures with his big family, and finally found a sport that was perfect for him to play. And Robert came face to face with the biggest decision of his life, he followed his heart. This poignant memoir about overcoming bullying and thriving with disabilities shows that what makes us “ugly” also makes us who we are. It features a reflective foil cover and black-and-white illustrations throughout.

The Ugly Feeling By: Bea L. Hines Illustrated by: Mary Anne Holliday It's not a happy feeling. It's a feeling that makes you walk away and act mean to your friends-even when they're kind. It's called the UGLY FEELING. You wish you could smile and be happy for your friends when good things happen to them, but instead you just feel ugly inside and out. Lately, Catherine has been experiencing what she calls "the ugly feeling" when others compliment her friend and just fumble over words with her. Catherine turns to her mother, Loretta, for help, and Loretta tells her a story of a little girl just like her who learns how to overcome the ugly feeling.

It's not happy feeling. It's a feeling that makes you walk away and act mean to your friends even when they're kind. It's called THE UGLY FEELING. You wish you could smile and be happy for your friends when good things happen to the, but instead you just feel ugly inside and out. Lately, Catherine has been experiencing what she calls "the ugly feeling" when others compliment her friend and just fumble over words with her. Catherine turns to her mother, Loretta, for help, and Loretta tells a story of a little girl just like her who learns how to overcome to ugly feeling.

It's not happy feeling. It's a feeling that makes you walk away and act mean to your friends even when they're kind. It's called THE UGLY FEELING. You wish you could smile and be happy for your friends when good things happen to the, but instead you just feel ugly inside and out. Lately, Catherine has been experiencing what she calls "the ugly feeling" when others compliment her friend and just fumble over words with her. Catherine turns to her mother, Loretta, for help, and Loretta tells a story of a little girl just like her who learns how to overcome to ugly feeling.

Ngai mobilizes the aesthetics of unprestigious negative affects such as irritation, envy, and disgust to investigate not only ideological and representational dilemmas in literature--with a particular focus on those inflected by gender and race--but also blind spots in contemporary literary and cultural criticism. Her work maps a major intersection of literary studies, media and cultural studies, feminist studies, and aesthetic theory.