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Sex And Punishment: Four Thousand Years Of Judging Desire (2012)

by Eric Berkowitz(Favorite Author)

3.96 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1582437963 (ISBN13: 9781582437965)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Counterpoint

review 1: As an easy to read primer on the history of European and American legislation of sex and sexuality, this succeeds in offering a good overview, clearly written and packed with colourful examples. In this vein it was an interesting, if not always enjoyable read, although that wasn't the fault of Berkowitz, more the fact that being horrific to women, non-heterosexuals and non-whites is pretty much the done thing in most areas of white European/American history. And yes, I did get rather annoyed at some points at the sheer injustice of it all. The simple presentation of these cases was nicely done, the apparently unemotive tone of the writing actually allowing the monstrous wrongs to sit there, clear as day. Berkowitz also does a very good job of being sensitive about phrasing... mores and words in relation to his subjects, an admirable trait when the reader (well, me) is already annoyed at the treatment these people received. For all his attempts to present these stories in a calm manner, it's clear he sympathises with many of the cases, which is reassuring to the reader (well, me).There were some things I was less keen on with the book. I am prepared to overlook the Eurocentric nature of it, if only because it is nearly 500 pages long as it is, to expand to cover the whole world (or at least those bits of it where records are available) would make it a true epic. It would be nice to know more about other cultures, but that's not a fair criticism of a work such as this, and hopefully someone will address this in future.However what did bother me were one or two basic factual errors which pointed to a lack of thoroughness with the research. The repetition of the old canard that English law allowed a man to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb might be a commonly told tale, but there is, at best, strong disagreement over whether it was ever true, with many historians doubting its position as an actual legal definition (there is some evidence that it might have been used as an example in judges' summaries but was not a formal legal stipulation). Little things like this sit uneasily with me as they made me wonder what other errors had crept in. In a history book this isn't a good feature.It also ended rather abruptly with Oscar Wilde dying in a dingy French hotel. Even a short summary chapter would have been appreciated, although the author made no grand claims to a narrative throughout the book, so the absence of a conclusion wasn't a major issue.Overall it was an interesting read for those who wanted an introduction to the topic, and if you don't mind being enraged regularly, it is worth a look.
review 2: Sex and Punishment: Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire by Eric Berkowitz“Sex and Punishment” is the fascinating four-thousand year history of mainly western society’s attempt to control sexuality through the law. This eye-opening book covers a wide spectrum of societal sexual manifestations up until the end of the 19th century. Writer, lawyer and journalist, Eric Berkowitz takes the reader on a voyeuristic ride into humankind’s obsession to control sex via the law. With countless in-depth cases the author shows what has happened to those who engage in sexual behavior that runs contrary to prevailing societal attitudes. This at times mesmerizing 456-page book is composed of the following eight chapters: 1. Channeling the Urge: The First Sex Laws, 2. Honor Among (Mostly) Men: Cases from Ancient Greece, 3. Imperial Bedrooms: Sex and the State of Ancient Rome, 4. The Middle Ages: A Crowd Condemned, 5. Groping Toward Modernity: The Early Modern Period, 1500 – 1700, 6. The New World of Sexual Opportunity, 7. The Eighteenth Century: Revelation and Revolution and 8. The Nineteenth Century: Human Nature on Trial. Positives: 1. A well researched book that provides many riveting historical examples.2. As fascinating a topic as you will find: sex and society’s quest to legislate it. 3. At the heart of this book, Berkowitz shows quite compellingly with a luxury of details what happens to those who engage in sexual behavior that runs contrary to prevailing societal attitudes. “At any given point in time, some forms of sex and sexuality have been encouraged while others have been punished without mercy. Jump forward or backward a century or two, or cross a border, and the harmless fun of one society becomes the gravest crime of another.” 4. The book covers from the early Sumerian kingdom of Ur-Namma (2100 BC) to the trial of Oscar Wilde (1895). Roughly a period of four-thousand years.5. The origination of Western sex law. What they represent.6. The book is full and I mean full of eye-opening facts. I guarantee that after reading this book you will not lack for interesting topics. “It was not until about 9000 BC that the link between sexual intercourse and pregnancy was confirmed.”7. I’m astounded and you will be too at what was considered scientifically acceptable as recent as late 19th century. 8. This book covers a wide variety of sexual manifestations including uncomfortable sexual taboos. I’m flabbergasted at some of the accounts!9. The author provides many examples that show the abhorrent treatment of women throughout history and cultures. “The strength of Rome would depend on keeping women in line and preventing the corrupting influence of femininity in men.” 10. The greatest sex crimes. The evil of slavery, rape…11. Homosexuality in perspective, before morality and how it evolved over time and cultures. 12. Sexual prohibitions. A lot of this book covers sexual prohibitions and what events transpired to arouse legislation. Prostitution.13. The impact of Judaism and Christianity on society with regards to sex and punishment. Protestant reformation.14. The book covers the penalties associated with sexual behavior. Some of it is guaranteed to shock and provoke the reader. “The penitentials were the church’s field guides for ranking good and bad sexual behavior.” Sexual repression. Witchcraft.15. The battlefield of obscenity. Society’s obsession. The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.16. The fruits of overseas conquest. 17. The issue of race in the United States. Fascinating stuff.18. The ravages of self-abuse. Society’s quest to control private pleasures.19. Censorship of books, written materials. The impact of the word. The punishments.20. The issue of age of consent. The laws that raised the age of consent. Global influence.21. Sterilization. An awful abhorrent practice…its history.22. Links worked fine. A notes and bibliography section. Negatives:1. Some of the stories depicting the more outlandish sexual acts will repulse the average reader. 2. Stories involving harsh punishments of people in particular women and children is uncomfortable. 3. The book lacks overall cohesion. It’s not always a smooth transition from one story to another and at times repetitive.4. Charts would have added value. Charts that summarized the sexual behaviors by culture and the laws created to control and/or punish them would have added value to the book.5. I think the author originally wanted to make a book that covered until current times but decided to stop at the Oscar Wilde trial (1895). Hopefully a part two is in the works. 6. At over 400 pages the book does require an investment of your time.In summary, this is an entertaining, enlightening and eye-opening book. The author succeeds in providing the reader with the history of Western civilization from the perspective of law and libido. It is full of amusing and at times even shocking stories that will leave you dumbfounded. Some of the acts depicted in the book can be repulsive and will make some readers very uncomfortable. That all being said, if you want to learn about sexual behavior and society’s quest to legislate it this book certainly succeeds. I recommend it!Further recommendations: “Bisexuality in the Ancient World” by Eva Cantarella, “Half the Sky: Turning Oppressions into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn, “Not for Sale” by David Batstone, “Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves” by Sarah B. Pomeroy, “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson “Misogyny” by Jack Holland, “Society without God” by Phil Zuckerman, “The Penguin and the Leviathan” by Yochai Benkler, “Infidel” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence” by Jack David Eller, “Moral Combat” by Sikivu Hutchinson, and “Slavery As Moral Problem” by Jennifer Glancy. less

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