Reviews (4)

Five Stars worth in the first half alone.
My fellow reviewers have praised this book in adequate detail.I need only add a brief comment.I recommend this book even to those who are not interested in its primary question.This book is a good book for modern men and women to understand how we have come to perceive our own sexuality.The book reminds us that our way of understanding sexuality is not the only way.Those to whom I have recommended this book have found the insights of the first half of the book liberating and life giving regardless of their overall reaction to the books main thesis. Sexual identity or sexual covenant?
Mills asserts that ever since Rousseau, and never once in any culture before, sexuality has been linked to identity. Mills suggests that this is the key to our current struggles over the issue of sexual identity and that making sexuality a matter of identity is very unhelpful to us. Instead, he suggests a return to covenantal loyalty as the way to think about sexuality. Not only is this biblical, but it is reflected in cultures worldwide and in the great philosophers. A MUST for Marriage Courses
As a professor of theology at a major Catholic university, I have used this book now for three years in my courses on Christian marriage.It is quite simply the best--and only--book of its kind.(See Molloy's review forthe reason why.)Indeed, I have found that students are more challenged bythe ideas in this text than by just about anything else I teach.Thatalone makes it a rare treat for a teacher.However, beyond Mills' abilityto stimulate thought and vigorous discussion, his book has demonstrated aremarkable power to change lives by assuring students that marriage is opento anyone who desires the rootedness and sense of belonging that onlyfamily life can offer. Whether one experiences sexual desire in a"hetero" or "non-hetero" way, the demands andchallenges of married fidelity are the same--and so are the rewards.Butthe book is not merely pastorally helpful; it is as profound aphilosophical critique of romanticism in its decayed post-modern form asyou will find anywhere. I daresay it is the finest book on marriage and"sexuality" I have ever had the pleasure to read and teach. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Christianity - Christian Life - Marriage    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Gay Studies    5. Religion    6. Religion - Christian Life   

Subjects:  1. Adult & Continuing Education    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. General    5. Philosophy & Social Aspects    6. Education / General    7. Gay & Lesbian studies    8. Teaching of a specific subject   

Subjects:  1. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    2. French Literature    3. Gay & Lesbian    4. General    5. Language    6. Literary Criticism    7. Sexuality In Literature    8. Foreign Language Study / General    9. French    10. Literary theory    11. Philosophy of language   

Reviews (3)

Charming and witty
Kopelson's sense of humor is very entertaining. I am quite new to the field of musicology, and this "New Musicology" is a mystery to me. I feel that this book helped to shed a little light on that. Yes, this book is a sort-of self-help manual. But, it is more than that. It is simultaneously a study of amateurism and its relationship to sexual repugnance and an equating of virtuosity with sexiness. Beethoven Rocks
The three-star Amazon.com review I have just read misses the point of the book. The book's autobiographical elements are in fact secondary to the cultural critique, serving simply to establish why Kopelson would be drawnto the subject in the first place. The heart of the book explores variousforms of musical/sexual performance anxiety as well as the eroticism ofplaying the piano and of performance itself. The book is cogently arguedand beautifully written. Lastly, "Beethoven's Kiss" is funny andmoving and is also a kind of very original self-help manual for readers(and amatuer pianists) who suffer from feelings of inferiority.

MANY APPETIZERS... NO MAIN COURSE.
Reading Beethoven's Kiss, one enters the parlour of an erudite and witty host. He will tell us both of his own dense life and the way in which famous musicians relate to nineteenth century piano music. Imagine that you have come hungry but Kopelson keeps on feeding you little bitesized canapes throughout his non-traditional piece of scholarship. It is his piecemeal use of an interweaving of personal detail andanalysis that makes his arguments hard to follow. The chronology of Kopelson's life suffers less from this (often ad nauseum) fragmentary approach than his ideas about the way in which pianists embody the composers they play. It is initially exciting to muse on the hypothetical, to follow the witticisms of Kopelson and learn more about this charming amateur pianist. However, the threads of his analysis soon blur amidst the personal asides. The necessity for a suspension of disbelief is equally straining. Yes. Perhaps Glenn Gould was gay. Perhaps Andre Gide was musically inept.And that Barthes was terrible in bed. A hundred clues don't make a proof (Doestoevsky) and I am not convinced by some of the foundational assumptions of Kopelson's argument. The monograph does offer a perspectival shift in looking at the relationship between the pianist and his (rarely her in Kopelson) music and provides a memorable glimpse into the sometimes self satisfied, sometimes moving life of the author. The onus too often rests on the reader to bring together all of Kopelson's offerings and with them, make a meal. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Gay Studies    4. General    5. History and criticism    6. Literary Criticism    7. Music    8. Musical Instruments - Construction And Repair    9. Musical Instruments - Piano    10. Philosophy And Esthetics Of Music    11. Pianists    12. Piano music    13. Sexual behavior    14. Gender studies    15. Keyboard instruments    16. Theory of music & musicology   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. General    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Sociology - General    7. Gay men    8. Gay studies (Gay men)    9. Lesbians    10. Philosophy    11. Philosophy-General    12. Social Science / Gay Studies    13. Social Science-Sociology - General   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Metaphysics    3. Mysticism    4. Philosophy    5. Gay studies (Gay men)   

Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. Great Britain    3. History    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Lesbian feminism    6. Lesbians    7. Mass media and women    8. Philosophy    9. Sexuality    10. Sociology   

Reviews (2)

Mixed bag -- but Thomas presents a rare, balanced view
Laurence Thomas and Michael Levin pose a stark contrast, not because they disagree but because their methods and approach are so different.There'sa real irony in how they approach the issue.Laurence Thomas is anorthodox Jew who places much stake in the religious arguments, while Levinhas little interest in anything religious.Because of this, Thomas seemsmore conservative, while Levin seems quite secular.However, it is Levinwho is against "homosexual liberation" and Thomas who officiallydefends it, though his actual position is not very liberal.It is quitenuanced and unusual but would be considered more moderate in standard U.S.political categories. A new look at homosexuality and totalitarianism.
This short book pits a gay activist, Laurence Thomas against the iconoclastic Michael Levin.Thomas argues mainly from anecdotal data from the bible, that homosexuals were never that singled out by Christianity orJudaism for condemnation. In fact very little is even said abouthomosexuality.He then goes on to make some arguments in favor of civilrights for gays, and to me the arguments were weak but sincere.Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay rights    3. Homosexuality    4. Human Rights    5. Moral and ethical aspects    6. Philosophy    7. Political    8. Political And Civil Rights    9. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    10. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Social Science    13. Gay & Lesbian studies    14. Philosophy / Political    15. Social & political philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay rights    3. Gays    4. General    5. Homosexuality    6. Law and legislation    7. Legal status, laws, etc    8. Legal status, laws, etc.    9. Philosophy    10. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    11. Psychology    12. United States    13. Gay & Lesbian studies    14. Human rights    15. Social Science / Lesbian Studies   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. Homosexuality    4. Homosexuality, Male    5. Philosophy    6. Religious aspects    7. Sexual orientation    8. Social Science    9. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit / Occultism    2. religion,philosophy   

Subjects:  1. AIDS (Disease)    2. Aids (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)    3. General    4. Health Care Delivery    5. Homosexuality, Male    6. Intravenous drug abuse    7. Philosophy    8. Social aspects    9. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Ethics    2. Gay Studies    3. Homophobia    4. Homosexuality    5. Human Sexuality    6. Medical / Nursing    7. Moral and ethical aspects    8. Psychology    9. Psychotherapy - Counseling    10. Social aspects    11. Treatment    12. Gays    13. Medical / Ethics    14. Medical ethics    15. Philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gays    3. Gender Studies    4. Homosexuality    5. Identity    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Philosophy    8. Postcolonialism    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. World - Post-Colonial Studies    12. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Reviews (1)

Sexual Orientation and Human Rights
This book is great.It provides a comparative analysis of ways in which the European Convention on Human Rights, the Canadian Charter of Rightsand the US Bill of Rights protect (or fail to protect) lesbian and gayrights.It is comprehensive in its approach - the only criticism beingthat it is now out of date.This is a prblem particularly for the sectionsof Europe and Canada, as a great deal of improvement in legal protection oflesbians and gay men has occurred in those jurisdictions.But despitethis, it is still a very useful book for understanding the development ofrights protections in these three jurisdictions.Suitable primarily forlawyers, law students and political scientists - not really for the layreader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay rights    2. Human rights    3. International Law    4. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Sex Relations    8. Sexual orientation    9. Canada    10. Comparative law    11. Constitutional & administrative law    12. English law: constitutional & administrative    13. Jurisprudence & philosophy of law    14. Law | Civil Rights Law    15. Sex discrimination    16. USA   

Reviews (3)

Here'sa book every Christian should read!
A lyrical book, rich with examples and images, this is small book with a powerful impact.It demonstrates how people with "good intentions" acting in the name of Christ can perpetrate what Unthankcalls "spiritual rape." I want to read it again!I LOVED IT!!!
I loved it for several reasons.Ms. Unthank has a good writing style.It is easy to read and her humor and sensitivity is woven in to the text.The story is tender and reaches me in the places that are hard to examine.Itdefines what the whole point of Christianity is.I wish everyone in aposition of ecclesiastical leadership could and would read this and take itin.It promotes awareness of our place in humanity.It reminds us that wecannot speak for God, we can only be witnesses of God's power.And thatpower IS love.

A book for recovering fundamentalists
Are you a recovering fundamentalist? There are lots around. And they should all read this book. Unthank gives us a beautiful story of her own growth from a critical, unloving "Christian" to a loving, humblechild of Christ. She opens wide her soul to show us the ignorant arroganceof a subculture that confidently declares who is a believer and who is not.Christ has shown her love, and she reveals that love and grace to herreaders. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Body, Mind & Spirit / Personal Transformation    4. Christian biography    5. Christianity    6. Gay Studies    7. Lesbianism    8. Philosophy    9. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    10. Religious aspects    11. Sociology of Religion    12. Unthank, Katherine Wade    13. Women    14. Biography    15. Unthank, Katherine W   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Curiosities and wonders in lit    3. Curiosities and wonders in literature    4. Gay & Lesbian    5. General    6. Literature    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Philosophy    9. Psychoanalysis and literature    10. Social Psychology    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Supernatural in literature    14. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Editorial Review

Ruthann Robson's canny, well-written essays on lesbian legal theory and pedagogy, rooted in her experience as a lesbian professor at a progressive law school, offer a sparkling application of poststructural analysis, queer theory, and cautious, common-sense feminism to a wide range of legal problems and possibilities. She begins by imagining Sappho as a modern-day law student, with the hope of uncovering Sapphic rather than Socratic methodologies in legal theory: "How could [invoking Sappho] change the ways in which we understand, practice, and apply law? What if we adopted the Sapphic lyric as a mode of communication and understanding rather than Socratic argumentation?"Read more

Reviews (1)

A unique look at lesbians in the law
Robson is an openly lesbian, politically progressive law professor.(In later articles, she has come out as a cancer victim as well.)This is a collection of her essays on lesbians, homosexuality and the law.This book has a great introduction.Robson is a complex thinker, so do not assume this book will just say, "Aren't lesbian lawyers cool!?"Robson's analysis of legal issues can be overly pessimistic at times:as if one domestic partner law or pro-gay legal decision can be criticized for not removing all oppressions throughout the world!Still, this was an interesting read.It differs from many gay legal texts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Civil Law    3. Feminist jurisprudence    4. Gender & the Law    5. Jurisprudence    6. Law    7. Legal status, laws, etc    8. Legal status, laws, etc.    9. Lesbian Studies    10. Lesbians    11. Philosophy Of Law    12. Sociology    13. United States    14. Jurisprudence & philosophy of law    15. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    16. Literary Criticism & Collections / Gay & Lesbian    17. USA   

Editorial Review

Gay marriage, single-parenthood, sexual orientation, gender equality, pornography--these are issues at the heart of what have been called "the culture wars." This fine collection of 17 essays, which are academic but readable, takes the time and energy to dissect and analyze the most pressing topics in sex and gender studies today. Written in accessible prose and fraught with intelligence and empathy, essayists like Richard A. Posner, William N. Eskridge Jr., and Catherine McKinnon carefully pull apart, inspect, and rethink the basic tenets of how we construct sex, pleasure, family, and gender in our lives. Anyone interested in gay, lesbian, sex, or gender studies should definitely read this book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Family law is still important!
This is an anthology that resulted from a lecture series at Brown University.(It's surprising that a legal book comes out of a university that has no law school.)In their articles, writers try to blend social construction theories with family law issues.The point is to show family law is still a dynamic field.A ton of famous, famous professors contributed to this book.Examples include Posner, Halley, Minow, et al.Nussbaum, like always, has an interesting contribution as well.This would be a nice addition to any gay legal studies or feminist legal studies collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family Law - General    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. Gender Studies    4. Law    5. Political    6. Family & relationships    7. Jurisprudence & philosophy of law    8. Philosophy / Political    9. Philosophy | Social    10. Political science & theory