Abstract
Thomas Kazen undertakes what is a rich historical discussion of same-sex sexuality and the roles which purity/impurity, social power structures, and honour/shame tensions played in people’s attitudes to it. He begins, however, with a helpful and careful review of diverse contemporary discussions and theories about same sex attraction and arguments over the role of biological factors or social conditioning or both in shaping current understandings. The reader therefore embarks on the historical issues already with an appreciation of current discussion, which in turn informs observations and questions...