作者從文化發展的角度探討了人類對於男性陽具的各種態度：古代希臘人將陽具視為男性的「神聖權力」的表徵，羅馬仁則認為它代表了世俗的力量。中世紀時，由於基督教的盛行，原本神聖的象徵成了魔鬼的代表。文藝復興時期，科學凌駕於神學之上，人們開始認知它在生理學上的意義。書中也討論到陽具在心理學發展中所扮演的角色，以及現代社會對於陽具的新觀點。

作者從文化發展的角度探討了人類對於男性陽具的各種態度：古代希臘人將陽具視為男性的「神聖權力」的表徵，羅馬仁則認為它代表了世俗的力量。中世紀時，由於基督教的盛行，原本神聖的象徵成了魔鬼的代表。文藝復興時期，科學凌駕於神學之上，人們開始認知它在生理學上的意義。書中也討論到陽具在心理學發展中所扮演的角色，以及現代社會對於陽具的新觀點。

Setting out to "make intellectual and emotional sense of a man's relationship with his defining organ," David Friedman moves from highbrow to lowbrow in this lighthearted but substantive cultural history. Successively viewed as a life source, a symbol of a sacred covenant with God, an emblem of shame, an instrument of domination, a mere prop for the pharmaceutical companies, an...(展开全部)

Whether enemy or ally, demon or god, the source of satisfaction or the root of all earthly troubles, the penis has forced humanity to wrestle with its enduring mysteries. Here, in an enlightening and entertaining cultural study, is a book that gives context to the central role of the penis in Western civilization. A man can hold his manhood in his hand, but who is really...(展开全部)

Setting out to "make intellectual and emotional sense of a man's relationship with his defining organ," David Friedman moves from highbrow to lowbrow in this lighthearted but substantive cultural history. Successively viewed as a life source, a symbol of a sacred covenant with God, an emblem of shame, an instrument of domination, a mere prop for the pharmaceutical companies, an...(展开全部)

Setting out to "make intellectual and emotional sense of a man's relationship with his defining organ," David Friedman moves from highbrow to lowbrow in this lighthearted but substantive cultural history. Successively viewed as a life source, a symbol of a sacred covenant with God, an emblem of shame, an instrument of domination, a mere prop for the pharmaceutical companies, an...(展开全部)

Setting out to "make intellectual and emotional sense of a man's relationship with his defining organ," David Friedman moves from highbrow to lowbrow in this lighthearted but substantive cultural history. Successively viewed as a life source, a symbol of a sacred covenant with God, an emblem of shame, an instrument of domination, a mere prop for the pharmaceutical companies, an...(展开全部)

Whether enemy or ally, demon or god, the source of satisfaction or the root of all earthly troubles, the penis has forced humanity to wrestle with its enduring mysteries. Here, in an enlightening and entertaining cultural study, is a book that gives context to the central role of the penis in Western civilization. A man can hold his manhood in his hand, but who is really...(展开全部)

The Greek philosopher Diogenes said that when he died his body should be tossed over the city walls for beasts to scavenge. Why should he or anyone else care what became of his corpse? In The Work of the Dead, acclaimed cultural historian Thomas Laqueur examines why humanity has universally rejected Diogenes's argument. No culture has been indifferent to mortal remains. Even in...(展开全部)

With "The Invention of Art", Larry Shiner challenges our conventional understandings of art and asks us to reconsider its history entirely, arguing that the category of fine art is a modern invention - that the lines drawn between art and craft resulted from key social transformations in Europe during the long 18th century.