{"product_id":"dialogue-and-deviance-male-male-desire-in-the-dialogue-genre","title":"Dialogue and Deviance: Male-Male Desire in the Dialogue Genre","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Dialogue and Deviance, R. Sturges offers a focused historical study for readers interested in how the literary dialogue has been used to represent male-male erotic desire from antiquity to the postmodern era. The book's single biggest strength is its clarity of framing: Sturges traces three distinct traditions that spring from different Platonic dialogues and then maps their influence through Roman, medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment, modern and postmodern periods, making this a valuable resource for scholars seeking a sustained linkage between genre and changing cultural valuations of erotic deviance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical scope:\u003c\/strong\u003e The study follows three literary-philosophical traditions across multiple historical periods, helping readers see long-term patterns and shifts in attitudes toward male-male desire.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenre focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e By concentrating on the dialogue form, Sturges shows how a single genre repeatedly becomes the vehicle for expressing contested sexual and moral values.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTextual lineage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tracing influence from specific Platonic dialogues through Roman and medieval, Renaissance and Enlightenment, and modern and postmodern literatures clarifies lines of transmission for scholars and students.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCultural comparison:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book demonstrates that forms of erotic deviance were valued differently across periods and cultures, offering useful comparative perspective for historians of sexuality.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContemporary relevance:\u003c\/strong\u003e The historical perspective illuminates current debates over the place of homosexuality in modern Western thought, making the work pertinent beyond strictly historical audiences.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDialogue and Deviance is best suited to graduate students, researchers, and instructors in literature, philosophy, queer studies, and intellectual history who want a focused account linking Platonic dialogue to later literary and philosophical treatments of male-male desire. Readers seeking close readings of primary literary texts within a long historical framework will find the book especially useful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is less well suited to readers looking for a popular or introductory overview of LGBTQ history, memoir, or broad social history; the emphasis on genre and textual transmission assumes some familiarity with Platonic dialogues and literary-critical methods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCareful mapping of three traditions provides a clear structure for understanding long-term influences.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe focus on the \u003cstrong\u003edialogue genre\u003c\/strong\u003e yields consistent comparative insight across periods.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUseful for academic courses and research that intersect literature, philosophy, and queer studies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book's specialized framing and academic tone may feel dense to readers without background in Platonic literature or literary criticism.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDialogue and Deviance: Male-Male Desire in the Dialogue Genre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eR. Sturges\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScope\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlatonic origins to postmodern traditions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePeriods covered\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRoman and medieval; Renaissance and Enlightenment; modern and postmodern\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRelationship between male-male erotic desire and the dialogue genre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAcademic use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHistory, literature, philosophy, and queer studies courses\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSturges delivers a tightly argued, historically minded study that rewards readers prepared for scholarly analysis; anyone teaching or researching the intersection of genre and sexuality will find the linkage between Platonic dialogues and later treatments of male-male desire compelling and well documented, making it a worthwhile investment for academic libraries and graduate reading lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book cover primary Platonic texts?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; the argument is organized around specific Platonic dialogues and traces their influence through later periods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this suitable for undergraduate courses?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt can be useful for advanced undergraduates in seminars, though the tone is largely scholarly and assumes some familiarity with literary criticism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book discuss contemporary debates?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; Sturges connects the historical study to current debates about the place of homosexuality in modern Western thought.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R. 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