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< Moab Is My Washpot > < The Liar > < The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within > < The Gun Seller > < Making History > < Revenge: A Novel > Stephen Fry

price： 280
Soho Press
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customer 's review
(Wildean Fry)

(An insight I was delighted to have)

(Not his best work)

(Like Wodehouse? You'll Like This.)

(not bad, but . . .)

I have been a fan of the polymath approaching genius that is Stephen Fry for many years and had enjoyed his acting, columns, and novels before getting my hands on "Moab is My Washpot", the story of a young, pre-fame Stephen Fry.

This volume is, as all of his writings are, a wonderful display of how beautiful language can be. Fry manages to effortlessly and effulgently blend his incredibly sharp wit, his thorough understanding of the English language, and a nice flowing story with the real life problems and challenges of being a thieving, lieing, homosexual, at times suicidal, youth who has all the blessings a boy can have and still become a bastard. It is honest, it is real -if that makes any sense- it is poetic, and it is fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Moab is My Washpot". It is gripping and warming and delightful. It makes you think, that "I can overcome this" or at least give you a sense of slight elation. It is not a "look at my how good and clever and fine and intelligent I am" biography. Not at all. It is simply a very good story told very well.

Highly recommendable.
We all know Stephen Fry as the witty, urbane, polymath of entertainment that he has become. However it is interesting and, in certain ways, reassuring, to see that entertainers such as himself go through the same growing pains as the rest of us.

His autobiography 'Moab is my Washpot', charts his growth from a young schoolboy, through various adolescent crises, on to his successful graduation from school and his eventual path through to Cambridge. His early school years have an almost Enid Blyton feel to them, evoking the beauties of an old fashioned English countryside upbringing, but without any overdone sentimentality.

The book also deals heavily with Fry's homosexuality and how this effected his youth. There doesn't seem to have ever been any real internal struggle for him, but the book still gives a fascinating and often very humourous account of his formative years as a homosexual student in an all male boarding school.

Fry's rapier wit is what often makes this book such a treat. All of the petty squabbles of his youth are brought under the blade of his humour with fantastically amusing consequences. Anyone who has enjoyed the acting or comedic pursuits of Mr. Fry will no doubt find this autobiography an engrossing and hilarious read.
I think Stephen Fry is wonderfully talented-- as an actor and a writer. I very much enjoyed The Liar and Making History, two of his fictional forays. MOAB seemed disjointed, haphazzard... I believe that SF must have a very interesting life&life history, but this book did not express it. Was this written to fufill a contractual obligation? His heart just did not seem to be in it. Quite a shame.
Fry is a Wodehouse-worshipper, and his elegant prose shows it. This discursive, digressive, sometimes profane and endlessly entertaining bio covers Fry's youth (with much reminiscing about Public School days in the manner of Wodehouse's Psmith) and the development of his areligious (anti-religious?) and homosexual tendencies... well, they're more than tendencies, really, as you'll see.

I found this to be greatly amusing-- I'm glad I picked it up.
Most of this autobiography was quite enjoyable. Stephen Fry is clearly a gifted writer, and based on this book I might try some of his fiction. However, a great deal of the middle of this book, say 100 pages or more, are devoted to his explaining and defending and preaching on his homosexuality.

While I certainly don't begrudge him his right to tell his own story the way he wants and to spend time on what he finds important, this section really dragged on far too long. Aside from this, his story is really quite interesting and provocative. Go ahead and read it.
Stephen Fry is not making this up! Fry started out as a dishonorable schoolboy inclined to lies, pranks, bringing decaying moles to school as a science exhibit, theft, suicide attempts, the illicit pursuit of candy and lads, a genius for mischief, and a neurotic life of crime that sent him straight to Pucklechurch Prison and Cambridge University, where he vaulted to fame along with actress Emma Thompson. He wound up starring as Oscar Wilde in the filmWilde, costarring inA Civil Action, and writing funny, distinguished novels.

This irresistible book, the best-written celebrity memoir of 1999, concentrates on Fry's first two tumultuous decades, but beware! A Fry sentence can lead anywhere, from a ringing defense of beating schoolchildren to a thoughtful comparison of male and female naughty parts. Fry's deepest regrets seem to be the elusiveness of a particular boy's love and the fact that, despite his keen ear for music, Fry's singing voice can make listeners "claw out their inner ears, electrocute their genitals, put on a Jim Reeves record, throw themselves cackling hysterically onto the path of moving buses... anything, anything to take away the pain." A chance mention of Fry's time-travel book about thwarting Hitler,Making History(a finalist for the 1998 Sidewise Award for Best Alternative History), leads to the startling real-life revelation that Fry's own Jewish uncle may have loaned a young, shivering Hitler the coat off his back.

Fry's life is full of school and jailhouse blues overcome by jaunty wit,à laWilde. The title, from Psalm 108:9, refers to King David's triumph over the Philistines. Fry triumphs similarly, and with more style.--Tim Appelo
A number one bestseller in Britain that topped the lists there for months, Stephen Fry's astonishingly frank, funny, wise memoir is the book that his fans everywhere have been waiting for. Since his PBS television debut in the Blackadder series, the American profile of this multitalented writer, actor and comedian has grown steadily, especially in the wake of his title role in the film Wilde, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and his supporting role in A Civil Action.

Fry has already given readers a taste of his tumultuous adolescence in his autobiographical first novel,The Liar, and now he reveals the equally tumultuous life that inspired it. Sent to boarding school at the age of seven, he survived beatings, misery, love affairs, carnal violation, expulsion, attempted suicide, criminal conviction and imprisonment to emerge, at the age of eighteen, ready to start over in a world in which he had always felt a stranger. One of very few Cambridge University graduates to have been imprisoned prior to his freshman year, Fry is a brilliantly idiosyncratic character who continues to attract controversy, empathy and real devotion.

This extraordinary and affecting book has "a tragic grandeur that lifts it to classic status," raved theFinancial Timesin one of the many ecstatic British reviews. Stephen Fry's autobiography, in turns funny, shocking, sad, bruisingly frank and always compulsively readable, could well become a classic gay coming-of-age memoir.
Rerations
< Moab Is My Washpot > < The Liar > < The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within > < The Gun Seller > < Making History > freaks

< Fine as Frog Hair > < No Going Home > < The Broken H > < My Fair Captain > < Caught Running > < The Painted House > Sean Michael

price： 279
Torquere Press(2008-06-28)
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customer 's review
(My Intro into Gay Fic)

(This moving cowboy romance from Sean is all heart!)

I enjoyed the slow buildup between the two main characters and although it was sad toward the end (not the ending but the situation they are forced to deal with) it was very realistic and the hardships they survived forces the reader to respect, despite their young age and the newness of the relationship, what Trey and Russ share are the real deal.
Just finished this in its print version the second time. Very glad Torquerepress decides to print it. There is nothing different from the e-book version. Just that I enjoy both cowboys and their stirring love story. This one was written in 2004 and it remains one of my top favorites from Sean. And this being a cowboy gay romance makes it all the more endearing. Trey and Russ are just your ordinary Joes. Trey, a decent man and trusted ranch hand, hires the 19 year-old Russ who has yet to decides what he wants from life. They fall in love, works the ranch and decides to build a future together. Their getting to know each other is wonderfully warm and the part when Russ gets his own horse especially sweet. The sex is of course hot, as only Sean could write it. Then tragedy strikes when Russ is striken with cancer. I thought Sean has done a marvelous job here on their plight and expressing their love so well. A love which survives the toughest test, more so for Trey when he has to give up his dreams and his most treasured possession. And you just have to love the last part when Trey tells Russ that Russ is his future and nothing else matters.
Fine As Frog Hair follows Russ as he sets out to see America and finds something even better in Trey, a true cowboy and all around good folks. Russ and Trey have a wonderful guy next-door quality, taking their romance one step at a time, but when sparks fly it heats up fast, and the two decide to join forces and face the world together. It's a good thing they have each other, because when the going gets tough and Russ gets desperately sick, they'll need all the support they can get. Trey is determined to keep Russ with him, and he's willing to give up everything he owns to do it. Russ doesn't want to be a burden to Trey, and he has a hard time hiding his guilt. He loves Trey a lot, but he's not sure how much he's willing to let Trey do for him. Can he let Trey help him heal? Trey and Russ have it all, from laughter to heartache to the hottest sex West of the Mississippi, all the while proving that while life isn't perfect, it's just fine by them. Fine as frog hair.
Fine As Frog Hair follows Russ as he sets out to see America and finds something even better in Trey, a true cowboy and all around good folks. Russ and Trey have a wonderful guy next-door quality, taking their romance one step at a time, but when sparks fly it heats up fast, and we're swept right along with them. These two have it all, from laughter to heartache to the hottest sex West of the Mississippi, all the while proving that while life isn't perfect, it's just fine by them. Fine as frog hair.
Rerations
< Fine as Frog Hair > < No Going Home > < The Broken H > < My Fair Captain > < Caught Running > freaks

< An Imperfect Arrangement > < When You Don't See Me > < Caught Running > < A Secret Edge > < The Broken H > < Strings Attached > Chris Amisano

price： 139
iUniverse, Inc.
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customer 's review
(Good Read)

(Imperect ... But Still Pretty Good)

(Not just a love story---good fiction!)

(Moving, engrossing and uplifting gay romance.)

(Learning to live ... and love ... again.)

This is actually a really good book. It captures your attention at the very begining and keeps it going all the way through. The Character has a good head on his shoulders and is easy to relate to when reading the book. You will find it hard not to get wrapped up in his problems, and successes!
Alex loses his lover, but not in the way you'd expect. He takes up with a boy-toy, uncharitably referred to as Disposable Boy, until he meets the next great love of his life, Rick. Soon Rick reveals his shocking (not!) secret and Alex must decide how he's going to deal with it. This is a very simple, predictable gay love story that stretches its way over 164 pages to a happy ending. The characters are all hot, good looking and superb physical specimens. The Madison character is so nice, so understanding and so supportive as Alex's boss that she has limited credibility. Like other stuff from iUniverse, there are typos and spelling mistakes, but not to an annoying level. Still, author Chris Amisano, in his debut novel, displays a flair for dialogue and his subtle references to Southern quirks are enjoyable. As he acknowledges in the book's final sentence, this imperfect arrangment is happily flawed but we can live with that.
This short novel surprised me. I was expecting the gay version of the romance novel and ended up with writing similar to that of a young Larry McMurtry. The book was very well written with excellent character developed. There are enough twists and turns in the plot and general conflict to keep one moving into the next chapter. This book is well work a read... and in my case, a re-read. Much more than just a gay romance novel, "An Imperfect Arrangement" takes the reader on a life journey through love, relationship, loss, fear, and recovery. I look forward to Amisano's next book. I will be first in line for my copy.

I finished this in one sitting. This gay romance is excellent, its cast of characters appealing and well developed and the plot is tightly paced, emotionally stirring and interesting.
We have the narrator, Alex, who lost his partner of 3 years to cancer. Since then he has not been able to move on as he walled himself up emotionally, hooking up with guys for one-night or one-month stand then finally a sort of permanent relationship with a much younger Stephen, the Disposable Boy who is just that, disposable.
Enter Rick the seemingly perfect man, someone whom Alex could learn to love, someone to have a second chance with. Except Rick does have an imperfection. And here Alex finds himself in a dilemma as he struggles with his fears, afraid to take the same heartbreaking path again.
Alex is an appealing character, with his quirks and sense of decency. Rick is equally interesting. He may seem to have it all but beneath his cheeful demeanour he has his ghosts including one past abusive relationship which is disturbingly sad. It is easy to sympathize with Stephen, as he easily could be an epitome of a young gay life which could still go horribly wrong. Fortunately he has Alex and Rick to look out for him. As for Alex's close friends, Stuart and Madison, they are such stimulating characters, providing the heartwarming support that Alex needs.
The story does deal with a few heavy subjects, with some bittersweet and poignant moments. But it is never over sentimental which makes it more impactful. Ultimately it is an uplifting romance with its sweet moments as Alex finds his way again. Strongly recommended.
Alex is a guppie (gay urban professional) in his mid 30's, still somewhat numb by the quick and unexpected death of his lover several years before. He occupies his days by throwing himself into his work, going to the gym, and hanging out with his platonic gay and supportive straight friends and co-workers. For recreation, he's dating Stephen, a 22 year old hottie whom Alex and his friends refer to as "Disposable Boy" to recognize there is nothing there but a diversion.

When handsome, athletic thirty-something Rick moves into Alex's apartment complex, there's a definite immediate attraction, which proves to be more than just a sexual one. As a matter of fact, with Rick also dealing with a recent breakup, neither one of them wants to rush into anything sexual, until they are both sure where their relationship is going. But, before that happens, there is a revelation that make Alex wonder if he must repeat the doomed course of his last relationship, while both of them also help Stephen work through some problems.

The characters are well developed and very realistic, involved in a simple but heartwarming story to which any reader can relate. I love the support Alex receives from both his gay and straight friends, and the great interaction between them all. Deals with several key issues experienced by many, including getting on with one's life, defining a relationship, ageism in the gay community, drug use, and domestic abuse. Much recommended, five stars out of five.
Alex Palini believes that his one chance at love has already come and gone after the unexpected death of his life partner three years earlier. At the age of thirty-five, he is dating twenty-two-year-old Stephen Clarkknown secretly to Alex and his friends as Disposable Boyjust to hear someone breathe next to him at night. After all, his chance at happiness is gone isnt it?

When Alex meets his new neighbor Rick Monette, he realizes how easy it would be to fall in love againuntil Rick reveals a secret that makes Alexs heart more vulnerable and forces him to face the possibility of grieving again.

Through Ricks companionship and the support of Alexs friends, Alex is about to discover if a second chance can really lead to a happy ending.

Rerations
< An Imperfect Arrangement > < When You Don't See Me > < Caught Running > < A Secret Edge > < The Broken H > freaks

< Alliance In Blood > < The Draegan Lords > < My Fair Captain > < No Going Home > < The Good Thief > < Hostage > Ariel Tachna

price： 228
Dreamspinner Press
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customer 's review
(Alliance In Blood)

(Great)

(A Home Run!)

(Magic in an all new light)

Marcel is a powerful wizard. He has contacted the leader of the vampires Jean Bellaiche to try and form an alliance against Pascal Serrier - a powerful dark wizard. Alian Magnier is the wizard Marcel sends to meet with the vampires. Orlando St. Clair is the vampire chosen by Jean to meet with Alian. There is an immediate attraction between Orlando and Alian. When Alian offers his blood as a sign of good faith, something magical happens between them - a strong connection forms. Orlando can feel Alian's power flowing through him. The vampires and wizards discover that the unique and powerful bond that has formed between Orlando and Alian may happen for other wizard/vampire pairs. One effect of the connection is the vampire's ability to withstand the sun when he feeds from the wizard. This could make their alliance that much stronger. As they work to find suitable matches between their races, Serrier is planning his next attack.

Alliance in Blood is an emotionally charged story. Orlando's insecurity and his need for acceptance and love is tangible. Alian is so good to and for him. They make a very loving and passionate couple. Orlando's past is filled with violence and pain. The images he recalls are heartbreaking. There is a scene in Alliance in Blood that brought tears to my eyes because of its heart- wrenching poignancy. Alliance in Blood is dark, erotic, and very well written. I love the concept of this story. It's very cool and very different. Alliance in Blood is the beginning of what promises to be a terrific series.

Nannette
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
What a great story - suspense, romance, love, sex, vampires.... the baddies want to take over the world, mages and vampires must band together, ebem though reluctantly, and ... best yet, the book is a first of a sequel!
Worst thing about the book is that I have to wait till 2009 for part two.
Ariel has hit this one right out of the park. Just when you think you have read every different take on vampires, Ariel comes along and gives us a new and different approach to this age old tale. The fact that there is a reflection of the real world in the characters as two of them at least are gay, just makes it more endearing. Highly recommend this work to anyone who loves gay fiction or things that go bump bump in the night!
Ariel Tachna has, once again, left me amazed by her writing. Whenever I think I've read everything homoerotica has to offer she comes out with yet another amazing book! And her skills go much further than just smut, the plot is solid and just as interesting as the between-the-sheets moments (though those leave little to be desired too!) It's a great read and the characters, despite being less than human, are relatable and lovable. I only hope I can wait (somewhat patiently) for the next installment in november. This book is DEFINITELY worth every penny.
Rerations
< Alliance In Blood > < The Draegan Lords > < My Fair Captain > < No Going Home > < The Good Thief > freaks

< To Protect and Serve > < The Candidate > < The Lonely Hearts Club > < The Rainbow Cedar > < Word of Honor (Honor (Bold Strokes Books)) > < Deal with the Devil > V. K. Powell

price： 510
Bold Strokes Books
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customer 's review
(This Author is going places)

(Stereotypical fare)

(A pleasant read)

(Nothing really grabbed me emotionally in this standard offering - 2.5 stars)

(Police Drama With Lots of Romantic Intrigue--Love It!)

VK Powell, You have hit the BIG time girl.

This debut novel was a great read,not only for its romance and erotic content, but also for its ability to engulf me with a sense of duty. This one really touched my soul.

It wasnt so long ago when I too felt the resposibility of 'rank'.
Be it in the military or another force, it is never easy to send the
people you care about into harms way. Powell manages to capture the heart and gut wrenching feelings of being torn between duty and love.
It is clearly obvious that Powell has faced these realities, and she
portrayed the actions, worries and emotions perfectly.

For anyone who hasnt yet read this debut novel, it is a must.

Devlyn
First novel by VK Powell. I'm sorry to say that it's one of the few books I didn't finish reading, or rather I skipped through the second half.

I couldn't connect with it at all, even though the story, roughly 2 cops connecting over an investigation trying to bust a drug lord, sounded like it was up my alley. I love tough cops. I'm easy that way. But something just didn't work for me here. The writing was mostly solid. There was some dialog, esp. in the love scenes, that sounded awkward and generic, and some oddly placed commas that someone should have caught, but that wasn't it. To me, the story itself felt very generic and lifeless. There was nothing original about it and no reason for me to like/dislike/engage with the characters. The characters had plenty of backstory that should have made them complex characters, but I just didn't see it.
Alex Troy's personal life is sad. She is still mourning the loss of her parents in a plane crash and trying to recover from an abusive relationship. No wonder then that her job as a successful police detective with the Vice/Narcotics Division is the focus of her life. She's known for being totally professional, tough and a stickler for following the rules, but she's also a closer who can bring in the criminals for prosecution. When she is asked to head a task force to take down a drug dealer named Sonny Davis, Alex knows that this could be the opportunity she's been waiting for to move up higher in the department. Matters become complicated when she is instructed to include Officer Keri Morgan in her group. Alex was involved in an earlier investigation of a situation including Keri and there is no doubt that the younger officer doesn't trust Alex. Keri brings a life force to her work though that Alex has been missing for years and she quickly proves that Alex's original impression of her was incorrect. The two find themselves working closely together and an attraction grows, which endangers their careers and possibly their lives. Both hope they won't have to make a choice about what is more important, their relationship or ending the career of a drug lord.

To Protect and Serve is an interesting story. The play between the characters is more involved than most romances, so it holds the reader's attention. Sonny Davis, to be the drug king pin, is unusually stupid, especially about women, but the story would have needed to be a lot longer if he weren't. The book is a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

This book just didn't suit me. I didn't hate it, and think that it will really appeal to a certain type of reader, but there was nothing in the reading of it that really grabbed me. I like a book in which the characters show progression from beginning to end, and I felt that the main characters here spent too much time standing in one place and endlessly rehashing the same thoughts and conflicts in their heads, repeatedly. This may be realistic, but did not compel this reader.

I also like a book with a strong central theme or idea or that's trying to say something, but I often felt myself wondering "what's the point?" I would say it can work from a pure entertainment perspective, but again it just didn't work for me.

There were some interesting bits about police work, being a woman in a male-dominated profession, the war on drugs. It was nice to read a book from someone who's worked in the field, but at times I felt like there were assumptions on the part of the author about the reader's understanding, so there wasn't sufficient explanation about the significance of events, internal politics, interactions between officers, etc. Also at times it read like perhaps a screen play or something: like we were being given descriptions of events and getting dialogue from the author's head, but not being fed the underlying analysis which one must do in books to make up for the lack of body language and music (like accompany that "screen play") to communicate emotion and thoughts.

Overall a light, quick read that I ended up skimming from about the half-way mark. It was rocky at first, started to grab me when Alex and Keri started to interact on a more regular basis, lost me when they were suddenly professing love to each other in their heads, despite not really knowing anything about one another or resolving any of the obstacles they kept mentally obsessing about. There was heat and there were sparks. I generally liked the characters. There was a decent supporting cast, and I did think that the ending resolved satisfactorily.
When a councilman's daughter ends up dead from an apparent overdose, Alex Troy, an astute lieutenant in Vice/Narcotics, is called upon to head the investigation. Alex plans to outsmart the ruthless drug lord, Sonny Davis, using whatever it takes to bring him to justice. But there is more at stake than a high profile case with a plum chance of promotion. Alex previously had mentored, befriended, and admired the once vibrant victim. She vows to punish whoever did this to Stacey and all the other young victims.

Alex struggles to maintain her impenetrable persona as she faces personal and professional challenges. More intriguing is Alex's growing attraction to a gorgeous, gutsy subordinate, Keri Morgan, who becomes the primary team officer under her command. Keri is driven by her obsession to nail Sonny Davis and is fantasizing about Alex. Between Alex's past demons and this 'make or break' case, she doesn't need any distractions.

Drama and attractive women is what VK Powell shows in To Protect and Serve. The play between the main characters is enough to make this a fine read, but going undercover, chasing hardened criminals and bringing them to justice adds just the right amount of action to make this a well-plotted page turner. The book drew me in from the beginning with characters that captivate in their complexity. Powell writes with authority, using the lingo and capturing the thoughts of the law enforcers. The images are vivid, the action is believable, and the police procedurals are authentic. After Keri makes a dangerous bust, Alex wants to know if Keri always gets into this much trouble. When Keri asks Alex if she did something wrong, Alex replies, "You saved the victim from further injury, got the bad guy, and no cops got hurt. I'd say that's a pretty good day. We can talk about the rest another time."

Powell had me invested in the story of these admirable women, who put their heart, mind, body, and soul into their chosen profession. The riveting scenes between Alex and Keri had me rooting for Keri to overcome Alex's barriers and for Keri to stay safe for Alex's sake. A satisfying conclusion with ample room for a sequel, To Protect and Serve will hit the spot.

by Cheri Rosenberg
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
Rerations
< To Protect and Serve > < The Candidate > < The Lonely Hearts Club > < The Rainbow Cedar > < Word of Honor (Honor (Bold Strokes Books)) > freaks

< Neither Man Nor Woman: The Hijras of India > < Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman > < Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village > < Death Without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil (Centennial Book) > < The Reindeer People: Living With Animals and Spirits in Siberia > < Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (4th Edition) > Serena Nanda

price： 419
Wadsworth Publishing
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customer 's review
(review of neither man nor woman)

(Unforgettable!)

(Interesting ethnography)

(Nanda's Neither Man Nor Woman)

(An Anthropological Study)

I found this book very interesting and informative. I had read accounts of this type of goddess worship in ancient records (greek and roman)when I was a teenager but there was little cultural context and no rationale concerning the practices of emasculation. This book answered a lot of questions, why the operation, what the benefit to the devotee, who were these worshippers. I enjoyed finelly getting the answers to decades long questions.
A classic, absolutely fascinating study of the transvestite eunuch hijras of India. Combining objectivity with sympathy and respect, the writer allows us to glimpse the feelings and aspirations of these people, whose lives encompass joy, sadness, degradation, liberation, hope. The reader comes to know the hijras as real people while gaining an understanding of a very ancient and significant way of life. Nanda's lucid writing and subtle insights are augmented by a marvelous collection of color photographs and vivid case histories, including numerous first person accounts. This book is a model for ethnographic study and will leave an indelible impression on the heart and mind of anyone who reads it.
This was a very interesting book on a very interesting group of people. Nanda did a superb job of describing the Hijras in the context of Indian society. The personal accounts of individual Hijras added a great perspective. My one problem with this book is that throughout, while striving to show the validity of the concept of more than two genders, Nanda gave the impression that she feels that the Western cultural concept of gender dichotomy is backward and naive. To me, this felt like an attack on Western culture, which I do not look for in supposedly unbiased ethnographies.
While reading Nanda's Neither Man Nor Woman, I was struck by the sheer competancy and volume of her research. She truly gives a vivid, accurate picture of hijra life, ritual, and social attitude. The hijras are a group of traveling performers/prostitiutes who participate in ritualized castration. They are often homosexual, transsexual, or impotent men who are endowed by society with religious authority. They worship the Hindu Goddess Bahuchara Mata and participate in theatrical blessings of male children and newly weds. Nanda documents their rituals and beliefs while also defining their function within mainstream Indian society. My only point of criticism with Nanda'e work is her slight failure to fully demystify some of the ambiguities surrounding the hijras. One is never really certain of the actual definition and occupation of the hijras. However, after doing research on the hijras, Nanda's book is truly the most accurate and unbiased research available on hijra life. I would recommend it strongly.
I found this book to be an intriguing and comprehensive analysis of the lives of the Hijras of India. Nanda through personal interviews and anthropological analysis paints a picture of their lives as both marginal and yet highly spiritual. She describes how in India the hijras play an important role in both the blessings of marriages and childbirth's. It also describes the process of decision making that they go through to become a true spiritual hijra by becoming eunuchs. It is an important study to read because it challenges ideas of sexuality and spirituality. By becoming a eunuch, the Hijras truly become neither man nor woman. With their spiritual connection, they also are able to feel a sense of pride in who they are. Although this does not mean that they are exempt from harassment, it gives them a spiritual capital with which to protect themselves. It is an important book to read as well because it challenges ideas of sexuality and especially homosexuality in the US and other cultures as well.
This ethnography is a cultural study of the Hijras of India, a religious community of men who dress and act like women. It focuses on how Hijras can be used in the study of gender categories and human sexual variation.
Rerations
< Neither Man Nor Woman: The Hijras of India > < Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman > < Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village > < Death Without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil (Centennial Book) > < The Reindeer People: Living With Animals and Spirits in Siberia > freaks

< Manhandled: Gripping Tales of Gay Erotic Fiction > < The Back Passage > < Play Buddies > < The Tin Star > < Daddy's Little Boy > < Straight?: True Stories of Unlikely Sexual Encounters Between Men > Austin Foxxe

price： 478
Grand Central Publishing
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customer 's review
(Hot Stuff)

(A mixed bag)

(Everthing I Needed!)

(MANHANDLED)