Reviews (5)

STODGY & RAMBLING
Ancient Rome merits a contemporary investigation of its attitudes towards sexuality and homosexuality but sadly Craig A Williams book "Roman Homosexuality" is not capable of the task. Apart from the dull prose and paucity of illustrations. A pathetic eight pages of miniscule black and white photos, including the front cover which is repeated again inside the book itself. Williams actually has the audacity to state in the introduction that he will refrain from translating Roman sexual terms such as catamite, virgo, virtus, irrumator struprum, cinaedus, pudicitia, lingis, futuis, fututor, and fellator. The reader is therefore greatly hampered from the beginning by the absence of a Latin glossary and dictionary to guide them through Roman terminology. Excellent as Expected
In college, I took Professor William's class on "Greek and Roman Sexuality" and looked forward to attending his lectures every other day and his excellent insights on the erotica of the time, as well as the social commentaries. I learned more from that class than from many others and still enjoy reading the books, poetry, and plays reflective of that period that we explored in that class. Williams is a woderful teacher, and this book puts so much of what he taught to his classes into the written word..its an excellent reference material I would recommend to all.

All information needed.
I have found this book, when added with K.J. Dover's Greek Homosexuality, to offer me all the information I needed on the subject of homosexuality inClassical Antiquity. Williams does not make enough, perhaps, of the factthat the Romans' low estimate of any male citzen performing the passiverole in sexual intercourse - that they equalled with adultery and rape inthe single legal category of *strupum*, in contrast to the Classical AgeAthenians' idealization of the supposedly pure love between the younger*eromenos* and his *erastes* had much to do with the realities of Rome asan oligarchical political system where no member of the ruling oligarchywas supposed to submit to another, in contrast to the more democratic andegalitarian Athenian mores, where you were supposed to learn to obey inorder to learn to give orders. But then, this is a conclusion that wasalready there to be drawn. Superb book, highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Gay Studies    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Homosexuality, Male    6. Homosexuality, Male, in art    7. Homosexuality, Male, in litera    8. Homosexuality, Male, in literature    9. Literature: Classics    10. Rome    11. Ancient Rome    12. Classical Studies | Ancient History | Roman    13. Gender studies    14. History / Ancient / Rome    15. Latin    16. Lesbian studies    17. Literary studies: classical, early & medieval   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. History    4. History: American    5. Homosexuality    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Religious aspects    8. Same-sex marriage    9. United States - General    10. Gay & Lesbian studies    11. History / United States / General    12. USA   

Editorial Review

The history of gay male erotic images is largely undocumented. Even when the material has been available, "good taste" and "common decency"--those concepts used to stop all talk about sex--have prevented their display. Thomas Waugh's full-length, profusely illustrated study is a breakthrough book that has information and analysis enough for three books. Thoughtful, smart, and well-written, Read more

Reviews (2)

Amazing Book
This book collects the amazing research the author has done on physique photography, magazines and gay porn of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. It is great stuff, presented with a smart and detailed analysis. The only downside is the format, a weird and pricey mix of scholarly tome and coffeetable book. With the boom in "visual culture" and gay studies, it's a pity Cambridge has never brought this out in paper: it would be a surefire hit.

WOW
This is truly a great book..especially for vintage gay porn buffs...Its written and produces with an college text book feel.... whichon one hand.. is good.. gives it a lot of depth.. and smarts.. but.. with the $75 price tag.. i was a bit dissapointed.. was hoping for some really great quality photos.. while the photo's quality arent bad at all. quite clear and sharp. was hoping for something along the lines of art book quality...so ifyou looking for an art coffee table book.. this really isnt one.. but if you r looking for indepth analysis (still with loads of pictures) of early gay porn.. then this is for U!!!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cinema/Film: Book    2. Film & Video - General    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay erotic photography    5. Gay men    6. General    7. History    8. Homosexuality in motion pictur    9. Homosexuality in motion pictures    10. Photography Of Specific Subjects    11. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    12. Portraits    13. Special Subjects In Motion Pictures    14. Literary Criticism & Collections / Gay & Lesbian    15. Photographs: collections   

Reviews (1)

A difficult read
The most interesting sections of this work are the earliest chapters; Kristeva seems to run out of steam and stop abruptly once she begins to discuss foreignness and strangeness in contemporary culture. The writing is also very abstract (perhaps more so because it is a translation); this particular book is probably only interesting to a student of literature who is critically concerned with the figure of the Stranger in fiction and legends.I don't recommend picking this book up simply out of curiousity. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay & Lesbian    2. General    3. History & Theory - General    4. Psychology    5. Psychology & Psychiatry / Psychoanalysis   

Subjects:  1. California - Local History    2. History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. United States - General    6. United States - State & Local - West    7. History / United States / General   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Modern    5. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    6. Criticism    7. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    8. History - Modern    9. Lesbian Studies    10. Lesbian artists    11. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    12. Painting & paintings    13. Sculpture & other three-dimensional art forms    14. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (1)

How homosexuality was cured!
This is an important book for anyone interested in how the diagnosis of homosexuality was dropped by the American Psychiatric Association in 1993.The author of this book gives a reasonable history of the events leading up to that decision and through interviews with psychiatrists who both supported and opposed the decision, illustrates the political nature of using medical diagnoses to determine what constitutes normal and abnormal behavior. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. History    3. Medical    4. Mental Illness    5. Psychiatry - General    6. Psychology    7. Psychopathology - General    8. History of Science and Medicine, Philosophy of Science    9. Homosexuality    10. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / History    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / Pathological Psychology    13. Psychology-History    14. Psychology-Mental Illness    15. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

A Genealogy of Queer Theory
From experts to beginners, Bill Turner provides the key to knowing how queer theory began and evolved.This historian and queer theorist maps the various themes and directions the major writers took while founding his book on the essential thoughts of Michel Foucault.This book helps keep my studies on track.I would help a novice gain a perceptive overview. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. Gays    4. Gender Studies    5. History    6. Homosexuality    7. Identity    8. Lesbianism    9. Philosophy    10. Sociology    11. United States - General    12. Gay & Lesbian studies    13. USA   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Gay Studies    4. General    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Travel - General    8. United States - South - New Orleans    9. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)    10. American history    11. Gay & Lesbian studies    12. Louisiana    13. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Subjects:  1. 1843-1916    2. 19th century    3. 20th century    4. American - General    5. Criticism and interpretation    6. History    7. Homosexuality and literature    8. Homosexuality, Male, in literature    9. James, Henry,    10. Literary Criticism    11. Literature - Classics / Criticism    12. Literature: Classics    13. United States    14. American English    15. Cather, Willa    16. Hemingway, Ernest    17. Influence    18. James, Henry    19. Literary Criticism & Collections / American    20. Literary theory    21. Novels, other prose & writers: 19th century    22. Stein, Gertrude    23. USA    24. Views on sexual orientation   

Reviews (1)

Essential Reading
Everything you'd expect and hope to find in a scholarly work on film and queer theory, and a good many surprises. Ellis Hanson's well edited collection has found its way onto numerous college reading lists and will doubtless stay on them for years to come as this is indeed a seminal volume in the history (brief as it is) of queer theory and film. Academic yet readable and engaging, these essays leave behind discussion of queer films in terms of whether or not they contain "good" or "positive" representations of gay men and lesbians, and rather celebrate what is illusive, problematic, complex, and interesting about the queer themes and characters that have appeared in film since its earliest days. Read more

Subjects:  1. Cinema/Film: Book    2. Film & Video - General    3. Film & Video - History & Criticism    4. Gay Studies    5. Gay motion picture producers a    6. Gay motion picture producers and directors    7. Homosexuality    8. Homosexuality and motion pictu    9. Homosexuality and motion pictures    10. Homosexuality in motion pictur    11. Homosexuality in motion pictures    12. Lesbian Studies    13. Performing Arts    14. Sociology    15. Special Subjects In Motion Pictures    16. Film theory & criticism    17. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Reviews (21)

Brave ......the only book of its type
I'm reading `Anything but Straight' for the second time. For me that's about the best vote of confidence I can give any book.
Disturbing book and Bigoted Reviews
I first read the reviews on this book and was disturbed by the attempts of straight folks promoting the ex-gay "agenda" giving the author lousy ratings.
could be better, could be worse
I really wanted to like this book.It has good information in it but the writing style is a bit amateurish in the beginning, then seems to completely change a third of the way through.it was as if two different people wrote it. Still, if anyone is even CONSIDERING joing an ex-gay ministry in hopes of changing his/her sexual orientation, don't do anything until you read this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - Social Issues    3. Church work with gays    4. Ex-gay movement    5. Gay Studies    6. Gays    7. Gender Studies    8. History    9. History of doctrines    10. Homosexuality    11. Pastoral counseling of    12. Religious aspects    13. Social Science    14. Sociology    15. United States    16. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Reviews (19)

I enjoy this..
I enjoy this..It's very good and phenomenal in that it's the first work of it's kind really. It covers the Greeks to Aquinas. John Boswell is a cutie. This has a wonderfully attractive cover, as well as the original one which is no longer shown of a second-century mosaic. This covers the beginning of the Christian era to the fourteenth century. It is extensive with many footnotes..I like it, that's all..It won awards..Go buy this..

Rhetorical tour de force, lacking in substantiation.
Boswell's work is an impressive volume which has all the appearance of a powerful academic treatise, offering a revolutionary new interpretation of the attitudes and practices of the early Christian peroid vis-a-vis homosexuality.Unfortunately, the central thesis Boswell offers, that the virulently homophobic standpoint of the modern Church only makes its entry sometime after the 12th century CE, rests on little more than whimsical interpretation of the evidence and inexcusable omission of contrary data.
A bold, but flawed, pioneering work
It's been more than twenty years since John Boswell's pioneering work on the history of homosexuality first appeared.Boswell argues that originally homosexuality was tolerated and admired in the urban world of the Roman Empire.Contrary to what one may think it was not Christianity per se that reduced this tolerance.In fact, one cannot show that the New Testament was hostile to homosexuality at all.Instead there was a certain decline of tolerance as the urban civilization of Rome collapsed.Yet for much of what we know as the Dark Ages homosexuality was viewed as at most a venial sin, and legal prohibitions against it were limited and ineffective.Indeed as urban civilization recovered by the eleventh and twelfth centuries a flourishing gay subculture arose, celebrating homosexual love.But over the next few centuries as powerful states seeking to enforce their authority arose, new anti-sodomy laws appeared, demanding death for its violators. Read more

Subjects:  1. Christian Sexual Ethics    2. Christianity - History - General    3. Europe    4. Gay Studies    5. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    6. Gender Studies    7. History    8. Homosexuality    9. Homosexuality and Christianity    10. Sexuality & Gender Studies    11. Social Science    12. Sociology of Religion    13. Christianity    14. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    15. Lesbian studies    16. Social Science / Gay Studies    17. Social history   

Reviews (4)

Social Constructionist Delusion
Halperin's book highlights the absurdity of social constructionism.If homosexuals first appeared in the English speaking world when the word was first attested in 1892, then they must by that logic have appeared in the German speaking world in 1869, when Kertbeny coined the German equivalent.We homos also must have not yet appeared among speakers of such languages that do not yet have the term - even if some of those speakers know English.This exaggerated form of social constructionism ignores the habitual, exclusive sodomite known to medieval and early modern Europeans, as well as to the Greeks and Romans whose authors often satirized such queens in terms all too familiar today.
Academically Excellent Reference Book
David Halpern "is Professor of Literature in the School of Solid Compendium
This was given to me by a friend. I have found it to be indespensible in my readings as a great place to start looking for information on Greek Homosexuality. The bibliography is top-notch. Highly recommended for any historian or philosopher of the Greek era, and any gay person interested in the history of homosexuality. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Greece    2. Gay & Lesbian    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    5. Greece    6. History    7. History - General History    8. Homosexuality, Male    9. Social Science    10. Sodomy    11. Ancient Greece    12. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    13. Gay studies (Gay men)    14. History / Ancient / General    15. Social history   

Reviews (1)

The Fate of Communion
Difficult reading, but very enlightening.Have a dictionary ready to get the meaning of seldom used words in the text. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anglican Communion    2. Christian union    3. Christianity - Anglicanism    4. Christianity - Christian Life - Social Issues    5. Christianity - History - Social Issues    6. Lord's Supper    7. Lord's Supper (Canon law)    8. Religion    9. Religion - Church History    10. Religion - Denominations - Religions    11. Christian social thought & activity    12. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. American fiction    3. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    4. Gay Studies    5. Gender Studies    6. History and criticism    7. Homosexuality and literature    8. Homosexuality in literature    9. Semiotics & Theory    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. United States    13. African American Studies    14. Black studies    15. Gay & Lesbian Studies/Queer Th    16. Gay & Lesbian studies    17. Literary Studies/Criticism & T    18. USA   

Reviews (7)

Wonderful survey of lesbian history
I read this book when I was newly out and went through the "read everything remotely queer" stage. This is truly a gem. It is everything a work of history should be: engaging, informative and well-crafted.
Empowering and Engaging
Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers is a fascinating work that traces the cultural history of lesbianism in the United States -- providing a broad and thorough overview of lesbianism's diversity, its relationship to feminism, and its evolving forms of resistance in relationship to the oppressions of the dominant culture.Perhaps what is most impressive about this book is that while it is an impressively researched and intellectually stimulating piece of scholarship, it is also an extremely engaging read.Faderman draws the reader into lesbian cultural history in a way that is never clinical, but compellingly human--under her treatment, the lesbian subculture emerges in all of its varied complexity, its celebratory subversiveness, as a fascinatingly rich and vibrant culture of historical, political, and sexual significance.This book is a marvelous introduction to lesbian culture and history . . . it is entertaining, empowering, and utterly engaging.

An important work
Lillian Faderman has written some of the best works on the lesbian experience throughout the ages, and "Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers" is no exception. She covers every facet of the subculture from the turn of the 20th century to the present day with impeccable scholarship, and her writing is engaging and highly readable. She examines everything from 1950's butch/femme, 70's lesbian feminism, and the resurgence of trendy "lipstick lesbians" with equal attention. This book is a must-have for every queer library, and is an important contribution to the cause of lesbian visiblity. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Gay women    3. History    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Lesbianism    6. Lesbians    7. Sociology    8. United States    9. History / Social History    10. USA    11. Women's studies   

Editorial Review

This groundbreaking anthology presents us with 26 essays and fiction pieces that discuss, explicate, and exemplify the always complex, sometimes confusing, and often surprising intersections between the identities of "gay," "Asian," and "American." The essays cover topics ranging from sex to traditional family values to religion to AIDS and queer activism, and are written in a variety of styles, at turns highly personal or academic. Richard Fong's "Looking for My Penis" explores images of Asian men in gay porn; Patti Duncan's "History of a Disease" is an impressionistic, experimental autobiographical meditation on family history and being a Korean American lesbian. While the writers and their topics all concern aspects of Asian American and gay life, the ultimate portrait that emerges from Read more

Reviews (3)

Captivating, Enlightening, truly amazing
I was in the bookstore and started flipping through the book and couldn't stop reading it, I was totally awed and drawn by the content and simply overjoyed to see what I have witnessed, experienced and lived in such acoherent fashion.I would definitely recommend this as priority readingfor all Asian Americans regardless of sexual orientation.

Groundbreaking
Every comment I've ever read about this book refers to it as "groundbreaking." A cliche, yes, but also true. This sprawling, yet tightly edited, collection breaks new ground not only in itsjuxtaposition of Asian and queer issues, but also in its unique andprogressive vision: a refusal to break queer Asians into merely acollection of P.C. buzzwords, and an assertion of the unique and wholeindividuals who constitute queer Asian America.

The best reading I've hadthis year.........
I found this book to have perspectives not only for gayAsians, but forall gay men and women of color. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asian American gays    2. Asian American lesbians    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    5. Gays    6. Gender Studies    7. Identity    8. Lesbian Studies    9. Minority Studies - Ethnic American    10. Social Science    11. Social conditions    12. United States    13. American history    14. Ethnic studies    15. Social history    16. USA   

Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Gay & Lesbian    4. History and criticism    5. Homosexuality and literature    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Literary Criticism    8. Literature - Classics / Criticism    9. Social Issues - Homosexuality    10. Teenagers    11. United States    12. Young adult fiction, American    13. Literary Criticism & Collections / Gay & Lesbian    14. Literary studies: from c 1900 -    15. Literature of special Gay & Lesbian interest   

Reviews (1)

Dr. Keating pays tribute to her long-time friend
The world lost an innovative and articulate feminist-womanist thinker when Gloria Anzaldua died May 15, 2004 The author, editor, or co-editor of numerous books, Anzaldua was elevated to international prominence in 1982 through publication of "This bridge called my back: writings by radical women of color".
Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. American - General    3. Caribbean & Latin American    4. Feminism & Feminist Theory    5. History    6. Intellectual life    7. Mexican American lesbians    8. Mexican American women    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    12. United States    13. Women and literature    14. English    15. Literary studies: from c 1900 -    16. Social Science / Feminism & Feminist Theory    17. USA