Description: A gripping new journey through ancient history, uncovering the origins of homophobia and the untold stories of those who dared to love.
Brief description: Dr Harry Tanner earned his PhD in Ancient Greek at the National University of Ireland, Galway. As a teenager, he was an evangelical Christian and came to believe homosexuality was a sin. After a period as an atheist, he is open once again to spirituality and religion, and lives a fulfilled gay life in London where he writes and teaches ancient languages and history.
Review Quotes:
"A bold and beautifully written quest for the queer in antiquity." --Tom Holland
"This book is brilliant and mind-bending... My god, this book is needed. History has never seemed more alive, more vital, more dangerous, and more wonderful." --Russell T Davies "Illuminating and timely." --The Reverend Richard Coles ""An extremely compelling proposition which asks, with personal urgency, how a religion of love can also - somehow - end up as a religion of pain."" --Alain de Botton "This scintillating history shows how economic crises have led ancient and modern societies to demonize queer love. It could not be more timely." --Orlando Reade, author of What Is In Me is Dark: The Revolutionary Life of Paradise Lost "Learned, nuanced, intelligent and fascinating, this is a vital new work of queer scholarship." --Patrick Ness, author of Release and The Rest of Us Just Live Here "Scholarly, immersive, and vital history of queer intolerance." --Kirkus Reviews "[An] impressive debut study. Expansive yet fast-paced, it's a captivating reimagining of the politics of queer desire." --Publisher's Weekly "The work is scholarly and accessible, and deserves its rightful place in a crowded field." --Church Times "A powerful and informative exploration of the history of homophobia and where it came from. Still a pressing issue today, this is a book every queer person and ally should read!" --Sally Pattle, The Booksellers Circle "An affirming and absorbing look at queer antiquity." --Library Journal "If you skip this book, you're missing out on the kind of excitement you get from reading mythology - but what's here is true, and a much wider view than mere folklore. " --Seattle Gay News "Fascinating." --The Gay Community News "The Idler's Book of the Week 27 April 2026" --The Idler "A fascinating, exploratory investigation into the origins of homophobia. This is a must-read for history lovers." --Pink News