Sexuality

Imagine looking at history's luminaries through a new lens – that's "Pox" for you. Hayden intricately weaves the untold impacts of syphilis on brilliant minds. Not only does it offer fresh biographical insights, but it also challenges how we interpret their legacies. The mix of scandal, health, and genius might just redefine your view of the past.

Was Beethoven experiencing syphilitic euphoria when he composed "Ode to Joy"? Did van Gogh paint "Crows Over the Wheatfield" in a fit of diseased madness right before he shot himself? Was syphilis a stowaway on Columbus's return voyage to Europe? The answers to these provocative questions are likely "yes," claims Deborah Hayden in this riveting investigation of the effects of the "Pox" on the lives and works of world figures from the fifteenth through the twentieth centuries. Writing with remarkable insight and narrative flair, Hayden argues that biographers and historians have vastly underestimated the influence of what Thomas Mann called "this exhilarating yet wasting disease." Shrouded in secrecy, syphilis was accompanied by wild euphoria and suicidal depression, megalomania and paranoia, profoundly affecting sufferers' worldview, their sexual behavior and personality, and, of course, their art. Deeply informed and courageously argued, Pox has already been heralded as a major contribution to our understanding of genius, madness, and creativity.

Book of the Courtesans is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the power dynamics of women's lives in European culture from the sixteenth through the nineteenth century. Susan Griffin brings to life the fascinating history of courtesans, whose lives were full of drama, wit, and glamour, and who enjoyed far greater freedom and autonomy than most women of their time. The book is a riveting account of their lives, loves, and influence that shaped European society in profound ways, and a reminder that women's emancipation is a long and complex historical process that is still ongoing.

This book is perfect for anyone curious about the historical evolution of marriage, and how love became the basis of the institution today. The author provides a fascinating insight into different cultures, periods, and individuals who have shaped the institution of marriage. This book will challenge any preconceptions about marriage and also offer a new perspective on how love has transformed the institution.