The emergence of modern narrative from Spanish-speaking Latin America represents one of the key cultural developments of the twentieth century. This book introduces readers to modern Latin American fiction in its cultural and political contexts, and to debates about how to read it. Latin American Fiction examines the phenomena of the New Novel and the Boom, as well as the related phenomenon of Magical Realism, placing them within the wider context of narrative production since Independence and more recent developments since the 1970s. It combines an overview of the evolution of Spanish American writing with detailed analyses of key texts from authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges, and Isabel Allende. Other areas covered include nation-building narratives, nationalist and regionalist fiction, indigenism, "modernismo," the Post-Boom, and Hispanic fiction in the US.
Sexuality in Greek and Roman Culture is the first comprehensive survey of ancient Greek and Roman sexuality. Drawing on literary, artistic, and archaeological evidence, as well as on scholarly sources, it covers a wide range of subjects, including Greek pederasty and the symposium, ancient prostitution, representations of women in Greece and Rome, and the public regulation of sexual behavior. Different class and gender perspectives are taken into account as far as they can be recovered.
The book also introduces the bitter theoretical battles that have been fought over ancient sexuality, particularly regarding what ancient societies believed about sex and sexual orientation. The author draws comparisons between ancient sexual ideology and contemporary culture, encouraging readers to understand the relationship between social institutions and personal sexual conduct. Designed for a general audience, Sexuality in Greek and Roman Culture is written in an elegant and accessible style. It offers sophisticated insights into complex social issues.