LITERARY SPOTLIGHT
25A
UNDERJUNGLE
By James Sturz
Cover Design by Jaya Nicely
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n Underjungle, an intelligent life form
of themselves, but of their species. A broad
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known as the yc exist in the ocean’s
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Now based in Hawaii, he has covered the
depths, an apex predator among
building from accomplished journalist and
underwater world for The Atlantic, The Wall
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nature writer James Sturz, Underjungle is a
Street Journal, The New York Times and
fractured from a single group into
lyrical tale of love and war, encompassing the
The New York Times Magazine, Outside and
seven distinct tribes, each with their
marine environment, science, art, philosophy
Men’s Journal, among many publications.
own dialect and cultural idiosyncrasies. Now,
and grief—as deep and surprising as life
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most intriguing and unusual object: a sunken
is set. Buoyed by humor and tinged with
nine languages. He graduated Magna Cum
corpse. As news travels across the ocean,
the unshakeable melancholy of loss is the
Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell
and the other tribes converge to investigate,
existential question that forever ties the
University and is a PADI Divemaster. His
the consequences and questions raised will
novel to our human experience: what is our
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reverberate for generations to come.
purpose?
Basilicata, Italy, very far from the water.
Underjungle asks readers to give themselves
James Sturz grew up in New York City,
up to another world: not just to step outside
snorkeling in his bathtub and pretending the
Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com
