Whether enemy or ally, demon or god, the penis is much more than a body part. Here, in an enlightening and entertaining cultural study, is a book that puts into context the central role of the penis within Western civilization. Deified by ancient pagan cultures and demonized by the early Roman church, the penis was later secularized by pioneering anatomists such as Leonardo da Vinci. After being measured 'scientifically' in an effort to subjugate some races while elevating others, the organ was psychoanalysed by Sigmund Freud. Now, after being politicized by feminism and exploited in countless ways by pop culture, Friedman shows how the arrival of erection industry products such as Viagra is more than a health or business story. It is the latest chapter in one of the longest sagas in human history: the story of man's relationship with his penis.
- ISBN10 0709089333
- ISBN13 9780709089339
- Publish Date 1 November 2009 (first published 30 September 2002)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 7 July 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher The Crowood Press Ltd
- Imprint Robert Hale Ltd
- Format Paperback
- Pages 288
- Language English