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9781399422314

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Reviews

A bold and beautifully written quest for the queer in antiquity. * Tom Holland * This book is brilliant and mind-bending... My god, this book is needed. History has never seemed more alive, more vital, more dangerous, and more wonderful. * Russell T Davies * Illuminating and timely. * The Reverend Richard Coles * ""An extremely compelling proposition which asks, with personal urgency, how a religion of love can also - somehow - end up as a religion of pain.” * Alain de Botton * This scintillating history shows how economic crises have led ancient and modern societies to demonize queer love. It could not be more timely. * Orlando Reade, author of What Is In Me is Dark: The Revolutionary Life of Paradise Lost * Learned, nuanced, intelligent and fascinating, this is a vital new work of queer scholarship. * Patrick Ness, author of Release and The Rest of Us Just Live Here * Scholarly, immersive, and vital history of queer intolerance. * Kirkus Reviews * [An] impressive debut study. Expansive yet fast-paced, it’s a captivating reimagining of the politics of queer desire. * Publisher’s Weekly * A powerful and informative exploration of the history of homophobia and where it came from. Still a pressing issue today, this is a book every queer person and ally should read! -- Sally Pattle * The Booksellers Circle *

A bold and beautifully written quest for the queer in antiquity. * Tom Holland * This book is brilliant and mind-bending... My god, this book is needed. History has never seemed more alive, more vital, more dangerous, and more wonderful. * Russell T Davies * Illuminating and timely. * The Reverend Richard Coles * ""An extremely compelling proposition which asks, with personal urgency, how a religion of love can also - somehow - end up as a religion of pain.” * Alain de Botton * This scintillating history shows how economic crises have led ancient and modern societies to demonize queer love. It could not be more timely. * Orlando Reade, author of What Is In Me is Dark: The Revolutionary Life of Paradise Lost * Learned, nuanced, intelligent and fascinating, this is a vital new work of queer scholarship. * Patrick Ness, author of Release and The Rest of Us Just Live Here * Scholarly, immersive, and vital history of queer intolerance. * Kirkus Reviews * [An] impressive debut study. Expansive yet fast-paced, it’s a captivating reimagining of the politics of queer desire. * Publisher’s Weekly * The work is scholarly and accessible, and deserves its rightful place in a crowded field. * Church Times * A powerful and informative exploration of the history of homophobia and where it came from. Still a pressing issue today, this is a book every queer person and ally should read! -- Sally Pattle * The Booksellers Circle * An affirming and absorbing look at queer antiquity. * Library Journal * If you skip this book, you’re missing out on the kind of excitement you get from reading mythology — but what’s here is true, and a much wider view than mere folklore. * Seattle Gay News * Fascinating. * The Gay Community News * The Idler’s Book of the Week 27 April 2026 * The Idler *

A bold and beautifully written quest for the queer in antiquity. * Tom Holland * This book is brilliant and mind-bending... My god, this book is needed. History has never seemed more alive, more vital, more dangerous, and more wonderful. * Russell T Davies * Illuminating and timely. * The Reverend Richard Coles * ""An extremely compelling proposition which asks, with personal urgency, how a religion of love can also - somehow - end up as a religion of pain.” * Alain de Botton * This scintillating history shows how economic crises have led ancient and modern societies to demonize queer love. It could not be more timely. * Orlando Reade, author of What Is In Me is Dark: The Revolutionary Life of Paradise Lost * Learned, nuanced, intelligent and fascinating, this is a vital new work of queer scholarship. * Patrick Ness, author of Release and The Rest of Us Just Live Here * Scholarly, immersive, and vital history of queer intolerance. * Kirkus Reviews * [An] impressive debut study. Expansive yet fast-paced, it’s a captivating reimagining of the politics of queer desire. * Publisher’s Weekly * A powerful and informative exploration of the history of homophobia and where it came from. Still a pressing issue today, this is a book every queer person and ally should read! -- Sally Pattle * The Booksellers Circle * An affirming and absorbing look at queer antiquity. * Library Journal *

Author Information

Dr Harry Tanner earned his PhD in Ancient Greek at the National University of Ireland, Galway. As a teenager, he was an evangelical Christian and came to believe homosexuality was a sin. After a period as an atheist, he is open once again to spirituality and religion, and lives a fulfilled gay life in London where he writes and teaches ancient languages and history.

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