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shanaqui's review
informative
fast-paced
4.0
This really is a little book, but it's still interesting. It uses the British Museum's collections (with a little bit of help from the British Library) to discuss how same-sex desire has been portrayed in art and literature. It's not an exhaustive account, and many cultures leave no mark: I'd say it's best viewed as highlighting some interesting objects (and some of the lacunae where we can't say), rather than as any kind of complete narrative.
For me, there wasn't a lot that I didn't know about, or which surprised me if I didn't, but it's a good opportunity to get a closer look at the objects: the images are full-colour, and most pages enlarge some of the interesting details to take a closer look. The focus is on gay men, partly due to the limitations of any collection and the general invisibility of women in the archaeology of certain periods, but there are some references to genders outside the binary, and to portrayals of female same-sex desire.
It's worth noting that quite a few of the images are explicit. In addition, some of them are Greek/Roman, so some of the men portrayed are teenage boys (since there were sanctioned and encouraged relationships between boys and older men).
dostojevskijs's review against another edition
5.0
Is there such a thing as the first lesbian? Or the first queer pick up line? Is that an ancient painting of two friends or two lovers? Parkinson takes us back to our very early history and all the way up to current events by showing us gay history; the kind we know and the kind we didn't know. It's everything from how the ”Greek gay society” really worked to the evidence of Leonardo da Vinci's possible homosexuality.
It was such an interesting read, it was over before I knew it. Some of it was facts I already knew or had heard of but it was such a nice thing to read about history that has to do with me for once. I'm so tired of cishet history; I want queer history more than anything. And whilst this book only briefs through most of the facts it brings up, it was such a joy to have a history book about queers. I'm kind of disappointed I didn't buy it instead of borrowing it, but this might be one of those books I'll spend a lot of money on even though I've already read it. It feels like an important thing to keep in my bookshelf.
It was such an interesting read, it was over before I knew it. Some of it was facts I already knew or had heard of but it was such a nice thing to read about history that has to do with me for once. I'm so tired of cishet history; I want queer history more than anything. And whilst this book only briefs through most of the facts it brings up, it was such a joy to have a history book about queers. I'm kind of disappointed I didn't buy it instead of borrowing it, but this might be one of those books I'll spend a lot of money on even though I've already read it. It feels like an important thing to keep in my bookshelf.
marisinterlude's review against another edition
4.0
This book was sooo incredibly eye-opening in terms of LGBTQ+ history. I learned so many new different themes I would have never looked for otherwise. It involves many different concepts and allows opportunity for interpretation, as well as further research. Nothing is shoved down upon reader's throat when themes are unclear and I think that's one of the best parts about the whole collection. Important piece for everyone to read.
ladydewinter's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up at the bookshop at the British Museum. It was a rather spontaneous purchase, seeing as I was hiding there from the masses. But it was a lucky find - in a way I had been looking for a book just like this the whole week I was in London.
It’s a very short overview of “desire and diversity across the world”. With the help from artifacts collected in the museum, we travel through history and all over the world. Since it is a slim volume, there’s no space to delve very deeply, but I appreciated the way the author shows how there have been diverse forms of love, identity and desire at all times and everywhere. I also liked how he made a point to say it’s not helpful to judge people in other times and cultures according to our concepts of sexuality and gender, but at the same time we have to be aware a lot of what is preserved was preserved by a “heteronormative” society, so a lot of what didn’t fit their values was destroyed.
It’s a very short overview of “desire and diversity across the world”. With the help from artifacts collected in the museum, we travel through history and all over the world. Since it is a slim volume, there’s no space to delve very deeply, but I appreciated the way the author shows how there have been diverse forms of love, identity and desire at all times and everywhere. I also liked how he made a point to say it’s not helpful to judge people in other times and cultures according to our concepts of sexuality and gender, but at the same time we have to be aware a lot of what is preserved was preserved by a “heteronormative” society, so a lot of what didn’t fit their values was destroyed.