[LCC] Iris: book for review

[Deborah Kamen]

Hi all,

We've just received a new book for review in Iris, the LCC newsletter:

Giulia Sissa, _Sex and Sensuality in the Ancient World_ (Yale 2008)  
(256pp.). Here's the description from Yale UP:

In this important book Giulia Sissa looks at sensuality and sexual  
desire in the Greek, Roman and early Christian worlds, demonstrating  
how modern concepts of sexuality emerge from the practices and  
theories of the ancient world. In contrast to other recent scholars,  
Sissa emphasizes the centrality of heterosexual desire and passion in  
the classical period, arguing that the importance of homosexuality  
has been over-emphasized.

Drawing widely on the literature and philosophy of the time, Sissa  
examines each culture in turn and challenges many of our assumptions.  
In particular, she draws a distinction between pleasure and desire in  
the ancient world, and analyses in detail the different ways in which  
men and women were seen to experience erotic feeling, looking closely  
at the portrayal of transgressive women such as Medea, Clytemnestra  
and Jocasta. Fresh, thoughtful and often provocative, this is a  
striking new analysis of the sexual attitudes that lay at the heart  
of the classical and post-classical world.

Please let me know if you're interested, and I'll send you a review  
copy.

Thanks,
Deb
(Newsletter Editor, Iris)

Deborah Kamen
Assistant Professor
Department of Classics
University of Washington
218 Denny Hall, Box 353110
Seattle WA 98195


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