Little Gay History

R. B. Parkinson, a curator of ancient Egyptian culture at the British Museum, is internationally recognized as a specialist in ancient Egyptian poetry. His other publications include Voices from Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Middle Kingdom Writings; The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems, 1940-1640 B.C.; and Poetry and Culture in Middle Kingdom Egypt: A Dark Side to Perfection.

• Preface Introduction: 'A Great Unrecorded History' Glimpses of a History Epilogue: (Re-)Writing Histories Further Resources Suggested General Reading Sources for Quotations Image Credits

Moving and fascinating. -- Simon Russell Beale The Sunday Times Illuminating... Parkinson's book reminds us there is nothing new about homosexuality. The Times (London) [The book] draws on 40 objects, ranging from ancient Egyptian papyri to images by modern artists, including David Hockney. The Bookseller Parkinson successfully shows that same-sex love and desire are an integral part of human history. Publishers Weekly [A Little Gay History] scans the Museum's collections for objects that show the complexity of desire in world cultures. From Indian gods to Emperor Hadrian, it proves that, if you swear by ancient tradition in matters of love and sex, you'll end up in the queerest spots. The Independent [The book] explores artistic portrayals of what it means to be gay and the difficulties in finding records of same-sex desire. BBC News This little gay history is a little terrific book...highly recommended. Library Journal