On 21 December 1817, the poet John Keats wrote his brothers, George and Thomas about the quality that forms a [wo]man of achievement, especially in literature.”  He said: “At one it struck me what quality went to form a man of achievement, especially in literature, and which Shakespeare possessed so enormously—I mean negative capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.”

This important statement about being capable of contemplating the world without the desire to try and reconcile contradictions and doubts became the philosophy behind the journal Negative Capability. The first issue was published in Mobile, Alabama in July 1981. After a short respite, a special anniversary issue was published entitled Thirty-Three. Based on the success of Thirty-Three, Negative Capability has been revived and will be published again annually beginning with Negative Capability, Volume 34: The Body in D[ist]ress.


CURRENT ISSUE

Issue 34 Cover, Featured Cover Artist: Mary M. Mazziotti of PIttsburgh, PA.

Issue 34 Cover, Featured Cover Artist: Mary M. Mazziotti of PIttsburgh, PA.

NOW AVAILABLE!
Purchase at Amazon.com

The 34th issue of Negative Capability Journal: The Body in D[ist]ress, edited by Sue Brannan Walker and curated by Megan Cary, features 41 talented poets, writers and visual artists from around the world approaching the topic of the body in a variety of perspectives. Negative Capability's first full-color issue will provide you with a visual experience and thoughtful conversation on the body in d[ist]ress.

Contributors include:
B.J. Alligood, Fred Bassett, Olivia Benton, Jayson Edward Carter, Dewitt Clinton, Bob Collins, Barbara Crooker, S.E.B. Detling, Will Justice Drake, Faith Garbin, Becky Grismer, Rachael Guy, Jason Guynes, Melissa Guynes, David Hamilton, Kathleen Hellen, Zeze Hoffman, Philip Kolin, Kim Peter Kovac, Joseph Lisowski, John C. Mannone, Barry Marks, Lance Mason, Mary Mazziotti, Ann E. Michael, Joe Pankowski, Alex Podesta, Peg Quinn, Ellen Redbird, Nicholas Rinaldi, Pat Schneider, Ivy Schweitzer, Lynn Skordal, Laura Sweeney, Maria Terrone, Johnson Tsang, Ronald Walker, Margaret Watson, Carey Scott Wilkerson, Anne Wright and Müesser Yenlay.