Customer Reviews

The Construction of Homosexuality

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This book is in two parts. The first is an overview of historical concepts regarding what we would now call homosexuality. Often times they are very different from ours. Besides varying acceptance, from benign curiosity to moral outrage, some cultures would not understand the concept of a homosexual "identity", any more than we would acknowledge "pizza" identity or "Microsoft" identity. Some see it in a generational context, others in a social role context.

The second half uses these observations to argue that homosexuality, as a whole, is a sociological concept with biological aspects, similar to arguments made about race.

This book is pretty old, and more scholarly than political, so the tone may take getting used to. But it's worth it.

This is by far the most detailed review of the history of homosexuality that can be found in English. The bibliography - itself over 100 pages - is essential for any student of the subject. Most histories of homosexuality concentrate on the constructionist argument to the point of detracting from the history itself, and while Greenberg preaches like the rest of them whenever he finds the opportunity to do so, he at least prioritizes the historical and anthropological details, and his preaching is less dogmatic than that of others. To sum up, a thoroughly useful book, and very readable despite the average scholarly tone; I think Greenberg keeps it interesting simply by virtue of telling you what you want to know, and there is so much to tell that every page is packed with interesting information.

It is a very interesting and readable book. However, there're some incorrect quotes or sources. E.G. p.215 note 174, He cited one old (19 th century) book about Messalina. But as far as I know, her lesbianismus was not written in any classical texts. I couldn't find her same-sex passion either in Tacitus, Juvenalis, Suetonius or in Dion Cassios. The author himself should have read original Greek & Latin texts. Even I an ignorant Japanese did try to read them to find a written proof. And I hope some erudite persons will kindly teach me the authority of her sapphism.