Celibacy is a worldwide practice that is often adopted, rarely discussed. Now, in Elizabeth Abbott's fascinating and wide-ranging history, it is examined in all its various forms: shaping religious lives, conditioning athletes and shamans, surfacing in classical poetry and camp literature, resonating in the voices of castrati, and permeating ancient mythology. Found in every society of the past, practiced by both the anonymous and the legendary (St. Catherine, Joan of Arc, Leonardo da Vinci, Elizabeth I, Gandhi), celibacy has as many stories as adherents, and Abbott weaves them into a provocative, seamless tapestry that brings history alive.
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About the Author
Elizabeth Abbott has a Ph.D. in history and is Dean of Women at Trinity College, University of Toronto. She is the author of several books and lives in Toronto.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully "tart romp through history"...,
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This review is from: A History Of Celibacy (Paperback)
A fabulously well-written book that offers one a great deal of food for thought. Yes, at times agonizingly explicit, but real and humanly written. More than expose or a simple history, but a personal journey, which the author herself took and took something from. Its breadth is commanding and admirable, its style is at once extremely academic and in the same instant entirely readable and smooth flowing.In this day and age of non-interest in sex yielding implications of psychological imbalance or worse, it is nice to have something to refer to, something that clarifies the history and purpose of celibacy in all its negative and positive implications. An excellently researched and presented treastise.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book,
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This review is from: A History Of Celibacy (Paperback)
It's a highly informative and non-judgemental history of not only celibacy, but also sexuality in general throughout many different times and cultures. I loved the way Abbott managed to relate each form of celibacy to the social, religious, moral and economical circumstances in which it appeared - it gives the reader a broader understanding of societies and individuals who embraced or rejected celibacy.
In addition to this, History of Celibacy is beautifully written, maybe more difficult but extremely pleasurable to read. (It's also good for learning new words, especially if you're a non-native english speaker. I wish I'd read this book before I took my GRE, it would've added at least 50 points to my verbal score)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A solid recommendation despite some flaws,
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This review is from: A History Of Celibacy (Paperback)
The author states in the introduction that she began her research with a strong opinion about celibacy: that it was unnatural. The six years she spent writing the book changed her mind on that (her current view is much more complicated). This initial judgment of celibacy obviously colors the narrative in some parts of the book, especially the early chapters.
I found a handful of instances where historical information contradicted other histories I have read. I tend to trust the other sources more: Abbott was researching the practice of and attitudes toward celibacy, and likely did not spend as much time evaluating her information on other issues. But overall, this was a wonderfully complete narrative of celibacy's history all over the world, in cultures ancient and modern. The narrative draws one in, the analysis draws together disparate cultural ideas into compelling conclusions, and the book is packed full of fascinating information.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
In ancient Greece, premarital chastity was such an essential requirement in brides that young women were thrust into marriage just after puberty to eliminate any possibility of a sexual lapse. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
coerced celibacy, main sources for this section, postpartum celibacy, brahmacharya experiments, new celibacy, premarital celibacy, voluntary celibates, precious semen, unwilling nuns, postpartum abstinence, premarital virginity, compulsory celibacy, true love waits, strict celibacy, source for the following section, perpetual celibacy, lifelong celibacy Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Father Divine, Church Fathers, Mother Ann, Catholic Church, Woman Chief, Shao Ching, Catherine of Siena, Roman Catholic, Brahma Kumaris, The Kreutzer Sonata, Voluntary Motherhood, Middle Ages, Peace Mission, Anchee Min, Garden of Eden, Mary of Egypt, North American, New York, Contagious Diseases Acts, Gregorian Reform, John Paul, Martin Luther, Muscular Christianity, Present Age, South Africa New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
In ancient Greece, premarital chastity was such an essential requirement in brides that young women were thrust into marriage just after puberty to eliminate any possibility of a sexual lapse. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
coerced celibacy, main sources for this section, postpartum celibacy, brahmacharya experiments, new celibacy, premarital celibacy, voluntary celibates, precious semen, unwilling nuns, postpartum abstinence, premarital virginity, compulsory celibacy, true love waits, strict celibacy, source for the following section, perpetual celibacy, lifelong celibacy Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Father Divine, Church Fathers, Mother Ann, Catholic Church, Woman Chief, Shao Ching, Catherine of Siena, Roman Catholic, Brahma Kumaris, The Kreutzer Sonata, Voluntary Motherhood, Middle Ages, Peace Mission, Anchee Min, Garden of Eden, Mary of Egypt, North American, New York, Contagious Diseases Acts, Gregorian Reform, John Paul, Martin Luther, Muscular Christianity, Present Age, South Africa New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 129
books:
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27
books
cite this book:
See all 27 books citing this book
- The Body and Society by Professor Peter Brown on 9 pages
- Sexual Variance in Society and History by Vern L. Bullough on 7 pages
- Church Fathers, Independent Virgins by Joyce E. Salisbury on 7 pages
- Women in Ancient Greece by Susan Blundell on 5 pages
- Pagans and Christians by Robin Lane Fox on 5 pages
See all 129 books this book cites
- Sex and Heaven: Catholics in Bed and at Prayer by John Portmann in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Habit: A History of the Clothing of Catholic Nuns by Elizabeth Kuhns in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Habit: A History of the Clothing of Catholic Nuns by Elizabeth Kuhns in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Deviant's Advantage: How to Use Fringe Ideas to Create Mass Markets by Ryan Mathews on page 81, and Back Matter
- Heaven: A Guide to the Undiscovered Country by Peter Stanford on page 93, and Back Matter
See all 27 books citing this book
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