Hello, pornies. ^^ How is it going over there? I recently told you about this book I was reading and how it explained that Venus and Aphrodite could also be Goddesses of War. Now that I finished it, I can tell you that you need to read it as well. It's Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire, by Bettany Hughes. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy!
- Print Length: 304 pages.
- Publisher: Basic Books (September 22, 2020).
- Publication Date: September 22, 2020.
- Genres: History, Folklore, Mythology.
- Rating: 4 / 5 stars.
A cultural history of the goddess of love, from a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian.Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the Ancient Greeks conceived of this voluptuous blonde, she existed as an early spirit of fertility on the shores of Cyprus -- and thousands of years before that, as a ferocious warrior-goddess in the Middle East. Proving that this fabled figure is so much more than an avatar of commercialized romance, historian Bettany Hughes reveals the remarkable lifestory of one of antiquity's most potent myths.Venus and Aphrodite brings together ancient art, mythology, and archaeological revelations to tell the story of human desire. From Mesopotamia to modern-day London, from Botticelli to Beyoncé, Hughes explains why this immortal goddess continues to entrance us today -- and how we trivialize her power at our peril.
Let's start with the simple: the style. So clear, so detailed yet not overwhelming, so complete but not heavy. This is the kind of history books I'd love to read more often. Not to mention, it's pretty short. I'd rather it was a bit longer, but part of the charm is in its brevity. If there's something I don't like about academic books is that 90% of the time they use a complex language, just because, but this book was the exception.
Bettany Hughes takes a chronological structure to explore how Venus and Aphrodite, along with a few more beauty-sex-love-related deities, have evolved since the earliest recordings, leaving to stone unturned and no question with no answer (or at least a big part of them). I'd say my favorite aspect of the reading was how easy it turned out to be, how simple it is to follow.
I do think it could have been longer, however, since some chapters were too short compared to what I expected. The one explaining her warrior side, for example, could have dug some more to give more examples, or go into more details. I found this chapter so interesting I didn't want it to end, to be honest.
In general, I loved Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire and would recommend it to basically every single witch interested in beauty, love, sex, appeal, and the like. You won't get rituals, spells, or anything, but will help you get in touch with that part of you, not to mention you'll discover many faces of an often-overlooked Goddess.
About Bettany Hughes:
Bettany Hughes is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster. She is currently professor of history at the New College of the Humanities and a research fellow of King's College, London. She is the author of three popular books, Helen of Troy: The Story Behind the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities, and the New York Times-bestselling The Hemlock Cup. She lives in London. Website.
No comments:
Post a Comment