Customer Reviews

Homoaffectionalism: Male Bonding from Gilgamesh to the Present

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This is a very interesting book to read for everybody including young students. However, I wonder why the author didn't comment Japanese traditional male-love, since after the Ancient Greek only Japanese had enhanced the value of male/male eroticism much higher than the heterosexuality and admired the male bonding as the way of samurai so called "BIDO=the beautiful way" or "SHUDO/WAKASHUDO=the way of the male-youths". I recommend two books "MALE COLOR" by Gary P. Leupp and "The Love of The Samurai" by T. Watanabe & J. Iwata.

My Objective view of the book is that it is well written and well researched. Hardman, the author,sites many examples throughout time which are relevant and which elaborate on his view of homoaffection. The term homoaffectionalism is described as such in the preface of his book: Same-sex relationships which do not necessarily involve homosexual sex acts, but do involve strong emotional bonding, which may or may not include sexual conduct. The emphasis is on affection and bonding regardless of any carnal involvement. As defined, it recognizes the phenomemon on mutual altruism between individuals of the same gender and recognizes the basis of mutual support, loyalty,and cooperation needed (in our view) to allow civilization to develop.

My personal view of this book is that it was disappointing. I was looking for a purely fraternal, non-homosexual friendship centered work. I hoped that it might attempt to explain why men in fraternities, and men in the sports world without reserve sometimes: slap each other on the butt,think its fun to go streaking (run naked)in the streets and why we dare yank each others pants down to their ankles to embarrass them. This book is not a 'how to book on ways to bond' but more an illustration throughout the ages of various societies and their tolerance quotient for homosexuality.It does not attempt to explain what a healthy bond is or talk about the father/son dynamic. However it gives the reaction to homosexality through the eyes of: The Ancient Greeks, The Romans, The Hebrews, The Egyptians, and its influence in the military.