Sexual Personae

In this dazzling and provocative survey Camille Paglia demonstrates the ‘unity and continuity of western culture’.

Identifying the enduring patterns, her controversial analysis ranges from the worshippers of Dionysus to the nineteenth-century Decadents, from Botticelli and Byron to Balzac and the Beach Boys.

Nature and sexuality, she asserts, are not benign but ferociously pagan forces, while great art often has strong elements of amorality, pornography and voyeurism. Bringing these themes together, Camille Paglia gives a compelling reassessment of established thinking on literature, religion, sadism, sex differences and society that challenges the assumptions of conservatives and liberals alike.