One Hundred Years of Homosexuality: And Other Essays on Greek Love

by David M. Halperin

Book Overview

Halperin's subject is the erotics of male culture in ancient Greece. Arguing that the modern concept of "homosexuality" is an inadequate tool for the interpretation of these features of sexual life in antiquity, Halperin offers an alternative account that accords greater prominence to the indigenous terms in which sexual experiences were constituted in the ancient Mediterranean world. Wittily and provocatively written, Halperin's meticulously drawn...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415900972
• ISBN13: 9780415900973
• Release Date: November 1989
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Academically Excellent Reference Book

David Halpern "is Professor of Literature in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Massachusetts Instituteof Technology" . . . and it shows. This book is a complextreatment of a complex subject.I don't like to divulge the endings of novels - let the readerfind out for himself . . . but this is no novel, and this hasno final conclusion. It deals with societal characteristics (Eastand West) from about 500 BC to present, maintains that"homosexuality" is pretty much a POOR psychological category used only in the LAST 150 years, and, as such, has manyfailings . . . as a valid classification of human behavior.The author investigates both the NATURE (are there genetichomosexuals?) and NURTURE (are there socially produced homosexuals?)sides of the question: "WHAT PRODUCES SAME SEX BEHAVIOR?"By the time you finish the book you will be an expert onAncient Greek History (Athens). . . at LEAST.In summation I believe the author "feels", as do I, thatsex is a strong undifferentiated, biological drivechanneled to target by MANY environmental elements.This book should be required reading for all undergraduates.

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.

A classic gay studies text! You must buy it.

This book is a canonical gay studies text. Halperin is a respected academic in both the classics and gay studies. The term "homosexuality" was invented a little over a century ago. Thus, anything before that time has to be analyzed in perspective. Halperin looks at the classic writings of ancient Greek "homosexuals" and puts them into deep analysis. Halperin avoids a lot of the "essentialist" mistakes that John Boswell fell into with his Social Tolerance book. Dover's book has more cool photos in it, but Halperin's book is very worthwhile. It's a must-have for classics and gay readers.