History of Orgies

by Burgo Partridge

An orgy, the dictionary tells us, is “a wild gathering, marked by promiscuous sexual activity, excessive drinking, etc.” Burgo Partridge tells us precisely what that has meant down through the ages. He begins with the Greeks, who celebrated sexuality at Dionysian festivals, and the Romans, who imported unwholesome brutalities into their orgiastic celebrations. We then learn of the penchant for group sex displayed by medieval popes, the junketings of Restoration England, the aristocratic hedonists of the Hellfire Club and Scotland’s notorious Wig Club, the orgiastic tastes of Casanova and the Marquis de Sade, right into the 20th century and the bizarre excesses of Aleister Crowley.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Sexuality

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A BRIEF WARNING TO MY FELLOW PERVERTS: There are no gratifying descriptions of orgies within!

Well, I endeavored to stave off the legions of sexual deviants that would presumably be attempting to scroll through this review single-handedly (and doing god-knows-what with the other) while salivating uncontrollably. There are of course sections of this book which serve no purpose than to shamelessly titillate with brief glances into the depraved and licentious acts transpiring at these revered gatherings of yore. Not that orgies have ceased to occur (I just flew back from one; and boy are my arms tired! yuk yuk), but as this was originally published in 1958, any of the orgies briefly described within are basically prehistoric in my eyes.

However, this book is far more than simple, tawdry pseudo-smut; by borrowing heavily from historical sources chronicling the last few thousand years of debauchery of all sorts, author Burgo Partridge often adds credibility to the tales, alongside some interesting lessons from the pages of history which are reputedly stuck together and he generously adds some of his insight as to what he astutely concludes are the causes and effects of these uninhibited sexcapades. While compelling, keep in mind that there is little that Partridge can say that is going to measure up to the source material for the tales within; while I can only attest that I’ve read about five of the 50-60 works in his formidable suggested bibliography, I can state that this book can’t compare (and doesn’t have to).

The only caveats I can offer are as follows: 1) all the choice quotes are pulled from previous sources, Partridge has little to offer in this respect, 2) sometimes he strays from the enticing theme of orgies of a sexual nature into orgiastic living of all sorts (be it feasting, drinking, violence), 3) as far as the section on the Romans goes, you’re far better reading the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius, and I’m sure the same could be said for the other chapters if I was more well-read on the subjects.

My aim in this reading was not educational or intended to produce any sort of enlightenment; I consider this strictly entertainment material. I was primarily interested in this book to once again read of the exploits of my own idols, the perverts, malcontents, and deviants of human history. Naturally, most of the familiar fiends are in attendance, the Roman Caesars, ill-intentioned Popes, Rasputin, Cassanova, De Sade, and Crowley. Over the course of the book, I was introduced to many new characters that will quickly ascend to the highest ranks of my own personal pantheon of gods.

The book begins with the Greeks, well-practiced sodomites and advocates of a truly phenomenal form of hedonistic living. While interesting, the Greeks offer very little of what I’m looking for. The author unendingly lauds the many virtues of Greek life and philosophy, which I personally found unappealing. There’s only one truly entertaining character within, Diotimus of Athens, who earns the nickname ‘Funnel’ for his habit of chugging wine through a funnel, so far as I know, the first man in recorded history to do something akin to beer-bonging, a true innovator and asset to the annals of human endeavor.

The book doesn’t really amuse until the hard-partying Romans enter the scene. The only issue I had here were the ongoing comparisons of the Roman and Greek cultures and their attitude towards debauchery; as someone particular to the methods of the Romans, it was like getting a lecture from someone as to why ‘thou shouldn’t’ do this or that. In the first two pages, my man Burgo basically brands the Romans as a collective of perverts and sadists inclined toward all forms of over-indulgence. I’d like to be offended, but history sides with the author; with deities such as Volgivaga (the patroness of harlots) and Priapus (the garden god ‘who was equipped with a genital organ of stupendous size’) you know the Romans don’t play around. With ritual self-castration and baptism by ram-blood included as part of the worship of Cybele, I can safely say I don’t need any of that old time religion. As far as partying went, the Romans were unsurpassed masters, ‘it was considered an accomplishment to be able to vomit at will in order that the process might be started all over again’, again, this is something that my own group of friends has embraced, unknowingly from the wisdom passed down from the ages. The fact that Vitellius also did this is pretty impressive, showing that even Caesar liked to party.

The Middle Ages, as Partridge calls them, are relatively uneventful, but I still came away with some items of interest. Men’s fashion included the braguette, ‘a tight bag which served to accentuate’ the shape of their genitals, and I strongly suspect that these clever chappies also wore ass-less pants. With the Church pathetically running the show at the time, some highlights concerning the hypocrisy of their rule through the behavior of some of the popes getting down with their bad selves; John XII turned a church into a brothel and John XXIII was deposed in light of ‘notorious incest, adultery, defilement, homicide, and atheism’. And with Christianity running roughshod over common sense and acting as a governing body, the natural enemies of the sate are the heretics and transgressors accused of witchcraft, blasphemy; however, these simpleton perpetrators paled in comparison to the creativity of the church’s own popes. The claims of these fools to f*ck the devil are entertaining; apparently the devil has a member described in glowing terms such as ‘like that of a mule’ or ‘half as long as a violin’.

The Renaissance era offers a few interesting folk: Sigismondo Malatesta convicted of ‘murder, rape, adultery, incest, sacrilege, perjury and treason, committed not once but often’, Werner von Usslingen was the self-claimed ‘Enemy of God, Pity and Mercy’ and we also get a little insight on Don Niccolo de Pelagati, another murderer, kidnapper, plunderer, violator, and hero of the people.

For all the common conceptions concerning the Puritans, several stand out as true artistes in perversion: Mary, Countess of Pembroke, makes sure ‘when the stallions mount the mares in the spring’, she would have them brought out for her viewing pleasure ‘and then she would act the like sport herself with her stallions, one of her great gallants was crooke-back’t Cecill, Earl of Salisbury’. Revolting, but surely an eye-opening ordeal. Perhaps the greatest delinquent of the times is Sir Charles Sedly, a repeat offender of all things decent, beginning with his being naked on his balcony, ‘acting all the postures of lust and buggery that could be imagined’, prior to attempting to peddle to the affronted masses ‘a powder as should make all the c*nts in town run after him’, and ‘that being done, he took a glass of wine and washed his prick in it, and then drank if off, and then took another and drank to the King’s health’. This is all involved in his first-mentioned act of depravity, the following several pages elaborate on this intriguing fellow and his later exploits. The reader also becomes acquainted with some of the most depraved harlots of the age, including Oyster Moll, the whore ‘whose crinigerous clift was ready to run the gantlope through a regiment of foot-guards’. Partridge, for one reason or another, takes a jab at education by asserting ‘the schoolmastering profession has always attracted homosexual flagellants’. Truer words never spoken.

Beyond the age of the Puritan, it seems that there is a marked decrease in complete and absolute tyrannical sexual wantonness and depravity, sure, a few weirdoes here and there are still going apeshit, but rarely in public or on such a grand scale. The stories now dwell on private clubs of perverts and Satanists, led by men with a passion for woman, drink and profanity fond of wigs crafted of pubic hair and giants cats and pumas presiding at their assemblies. Cassanova is introduced as being an author with a slant toward ‘cabalistic balderdash’, however, his encounters including nuns, pairs of sisters, and exhibitionism/voyeurism are all considered genuine and corroborated for by the author. De Sade spends his brief time in the story taking 800 lashes to the ass with a twig while notching each stroke on his headboard.

The Victorian era is also unexceptional; there is some content concerning a few prostitutes of repute, but perhaps the thing that will most inspire the pedophiles out there to take up some interest in time-travel is the tidbit that the age of consent during this troubled time is 12.

Disappointingly, the climax is wasted on the 20th Century, which is predominantly focused on Edward Alexander ‘Aleister’ Crowley, and his drug-cult and white/black sex-magick mumbo-jumbo. Partridge seems to harbor an appreciation for this fanatical piece of sh!t, but truly, the only good part of that story is his junkie 5-year old son who threatens a woman with ‘You must leave me alone! I am Best Number Two and I can shatter you!’ The tales of treacherous and lecherous zealots comes to a close with Rasputin, ugliest son of a bitch to ever bag over 100 chicks (Ron Jeremy included).

In summation; if you’re a twisted f*ck looking to stroke it to the written word for some mind-numbing reason, this isn’t the one to pick up. If you’re a normal, god-fearing degenerate, run down to 7-11 and pick up a copy of Club or Perfect 10, hell, maybe you might be able to get that last copy of Juggs that the guy working the counter has thumbed through a half-dozen times while the story is devoid of suckers purchasing losing lottery tickets.

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

One would think you couldn't go wrong with a book titled like this one. One would also be wrong. I suppose it takes an academic to make orgies boring, but the author does it so well. Written in 1958, it was probably fairly salacious in its time, but in 2014 it has all the charm of reading a calculus textbook. The author, who died at 28, clearly knew his subject well, perhaps too well. The early chapters were pure torture as they consisted mostly of name-dropping of notable ancient persons and pagan gods. All done as if the author believed that everyone has a graduate degree in the Classics. The author gives us little of the particulars of the various orgiastic organizations in later chapters, merely stating that the participants were perverts and degenerates while stating that their antics could not be described. The book picks up a little in the last chapter on Aleister Crowley and Rasputin, but one could get the same information with better presentation from Wikipedia. I have the 1960 edition and in the later half of the book comes a rash of typos that make the book even more of a trial to read. My edition was a short 180 pages, but it felt more like 1,800. All in all, I would say that if one has an intellectual interest, or even a prurient interest in this extreme form of sexual expression, one would be better served with another book.

[Alexandria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I'm not reviewing this book based on how titillating the topic usually is. I am reviewing it as someone who finds the study of human sexuality interesting.

The important thing to note about this book is that it's a relic of its age. The author's idea of healthy sexuality functions under the assumption that any sort of roleplay, BDSM, or power exchange is either childish, neurotic, or deleterious. Given that the book was published in 1960 this is unsurprising. It is, however, a limited view of human sexuality. Yes, some practices are not healthy. But most of what falls into those categories is perfect fine when engaged in properly.

Partridge is also - again, unsurprisingly - prone to either demonizing or martyrizing sex workers even while mildly mocking the Victorians for doing the same thing. Of course people still talk about sex workers this way. And sex work is still, bafflingly, demonized in general. Partridge would likely have much to say about my views on sex work and none of it particularly approving. But that is the difference in his era versus mine.

And, of course, there is quite a bit of bias on Partridge's part in terms of his nationality, race, and sex. In the section on the Twentieth Century Partridge states that there is very little external pressure on people to control their sexual urges. I'm sure people in other countries, of other ethnicities, and the opposite sex would disagree.

All of this adds up to a rather frustrating read for modern readers. I found myself intrigued by the historical nature of the first several chapters. But sometime around the Victorian era the book began to drag. The author's Christo-centric view shines through is many places, as was common at the time. But it's normalcy didn't make it any less frustrating. Much like his dated and relatively uninformed view of human sexuality frustrated me despite his views being rather progressive for his time.

In short I can recommend the first few chapters as an interesting window on the distant past. Take it all with a grain of salt, given the author's biases. And then stop before you get to anything too modern. Find a writer from the 21st century (preferably one working with the many, many studies conducted over the last few decades) and opt for their writing instead.

[Yannis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ξεπερασμένο, γραμμένο με διασκεδαστικούς περίπλοκους αγγλισμούς, καθόλου αυθόρμητο, κομψά προσεκτικό μη σκιστεί κανένα καλσόν και με φανερό δέος απέναντι στην αρχαία Ελλάδα.
Και με πολλές άχρηστες πληροφορίες.
Και κάποια κρυφή γοητεία - κυκλοφόρησε το 1958.

[Oborozukyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear.

[Eduardo Boris Muñiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historia de las Orgías es un libro de historia escrito por Burgo Partridge a sus 23 años. Es un escritor inglés con una vida muy trágica, ya que murió con tan sólo 28 años, y sólo pudo publicar un libro, lo cual fue una gran pérdida, ya que tenía mucho talento para escribir y contar la historia.
Este libro fue publicado en el año 1958, teniendo en cuenta su contenido uno puede hacerse a la idea de la reacción de la sociedad.
El libro es un recorrido por la historia de las orgías, no sólo sexuales sino de otro tipos (por ejemplo de comida en los banquetes o de las muertes en el circo), pero siempre haciendo pie en lo sexual. Divide las orgías en dos tipos, las aceptadas y las no aceptadas, también hace incapié en que a lo largo de la historia (sobre todo en las épocas más reprimidas) las orgías fueron necesarias para aliviar tensiones, para liberar la represión con que se tenía que vivir en el día a día, algo que con su explicación y ejemplos de diferentes épocas uno termina comprando.
Arranca con los griegos y pasa por los romanos, y en el medio compara a las deidades de cada sociedad, las cuales básicamente eran las mismas pero con otros nombres. Lo que era distinto era el uso que le daban las personas, los griegos hacían las cosas porque querían y lo hacían sabiendo que los dioses eran como ellos, en los romanos apareció un destello de la culpa (que más adelante los cristianos sabrían explotar) y hacían las cosas porque los dioses se metían dentro de sus cuerpos y los obligaban.
Luego pasa por la edad media (tanto la baja como la alta) con todo lo que ello conlleva, inquisición, una iglesia fuerte y bastante terrible (que participaba con ganas en las orgías), una clase poderosa y otra que es casi mano de obra esclava, etc.
Luego está el renacimiento, momento en que la vida sexual de las personas se libera.
Pasa por la época moderna, los locos años 20's y termina en la actualidad del escritor (años 50's).
Es un libro de historia pero no académico per se, es fácil de leer, entretenido y muy interesante. No esperen encontrar datos explícitos o imágenes pornográficas, éste es un libro que estudia la sociedad a través de sus conductas sexuales sin utilizar herramientas grotescas.
Descubrí este libro gracias a Alejandro Dolina que lo recomendó, lo pude comprar en Buenos Aires porque en Uruguay estaba agotado. Y por suerte lo pude conseguir, porque es un muy buen libro que enseña que la humanidad sigue ciclos de represión y liberalismo, ahora mismo estamos en una etapa liberal pero en algún momento esto se va a terminar y vamos a volver a la represión. La historia para mal o para bien siempre se repite, en nuestra corta vida tal vez no lo podamos vivir, pero mirando para atrás es indudable que todo vuelve.

[Jorge Rueda · Rating 5 out of 5]

La liberación de la histeria


Con gran éxito y sin sufrir ninguna censura, merced a su carácter de ensayo literario, Historia de las orgías [Barcelona: Ediciones B, 2004] fue publicado originalmente en 1958 por Burgo Partridge (1935-1963), hijo de Ralph y Frances Partridge, escritores, traductores y cronistas del Círculo de Bloomsbury (grupo de intelectuales ingleses de principios del siglo XX, enemigos activos de la rígida moral victoriana y que reunió a personajes como Virginia Woolf, su esposo, Leonard Sidney Woolf y su hermana Vanessa Bell, Bertrand Russell, Lytton Strachey, Edward Morgan Forster y Dora Carrington, entre otros), clique literaria de la que no habría que soslayar -como curiosidad y dado el título de la obra- que fueron dados a peculiares relaciones amorosas y endogámicas, que llevaron a Julian Bell (sobrino de Virgina Woolf) a escribir "Os atrevisteis a experimentar la homosexualidad, la promiscuidad, el pacifismo durante la Gran Guerra" 1 circunstancias que seguramente influyeron en el carácter de Burgo y más precisamente en su interés por el tema, y me atrevo a aventurarlo dado el comentario -en el epílogo de 2002 al libro- de su esposa, Hernietta Garnett (también fruto de la endogamia del grupo), quien apunta: "Más notable aún que la ocurrencia es el hecho de que una persona tan joven y tan notoriamente indisciplinada llegara de veras a sentarse a escribirla".


Es también notable, me atrevo a señalar, que fuera traducido y editado en nuestro idioma 46 años después -tal es el interés que despierta la difusión del estudio de las manifestaciones sexuales en nuestra cultura editorial.

Qué puede haber tan obsceno en un texto que permaneció agazapado casi medio siglo a los ojos del ciudadano de a pie, porque si bien refiere andanzas de personajes como Casanova, el Marqués de Sade y Rasputín, así como escenas de prostíbulos y fiestas privadas de la Inglaterra victoriana, es un texto prolijo y bien narrado que ofrece una panorámica y consideraciones interesantes con respecto a una conducta sexual tabú; lo obsceno sin duda es su título, que despierta las deseos inconfesables de todos nosotros, es demasiado duro para incluirlo en el catálogo de algún librero mientras que sus cuidadas formas decepcionan a los lectores sensacionalistas, es decir, no da gusto ni a tirios ni a troyanos.


La contención que genera en el ser humano la necesidad de conciliar sus instintos animales y sus inclinaciones civilizadas es el origen de la tensión que de una o de otra forma ha de canalizar el hombre. Partridge reconoce en la orgía la "descarga de tensión organizada, la liberación de histeria acumulada por la abstinencia y la contención y, como tal, tiende a adoptar una manifestación histérica o catártica", incluso menciona la guerra como un tipo de orgía, aunque también percibe la "dificultades que plantea la identificación y definición de los demás tipos de orgías", y centra su estudio en aquellas descargas de carácter sexual. Comienza su periplo cultural con los griegos, quizá la primera civilización de Occidente en disfrutar fiestas de este tipo ofrendadas a sus divinidades y ciclos naturales, y hace notar la distancia que separa a estos diletantes, equilibrados y hedonistas, de sus primeros herederos: los romanos lujuriosos y crueles, como corresponde a los apetitos de la sociedad de un imperio. Y es en esta distinción donde encuentra una diferencia orgiástica: mientras los griegos distinguían el carácter eventual de la orgía, su función como válvula de escape y de revalorador de la rutina, sus vecinos romanos potenciaron el carácter sádico de la orgía, que exacerbaba los distingos esclavistas y la posición del poderoso, convirtiendo su fiestas en orgías histéricas y criminales. En el siguiente capítulo nos conduce a través de la Edad Media, el carácter prohibitivo y censor de la Iglesia; los distintos grupos rebeldes y orgiásticos, e incluso sus "Fiestas de locos" encaminadas al desfogue anticlerical y al caos que devuelve su justo valor a la mesura de la vida diaria.


Hasta aquí Partridge distingue lo que pudiéramos llamar "orgías conformistas", pues tienen una función reguladora en el seno de la sociedad y fueron -por lo menos- toleradas, para después, a través del tiempo, distinguir de estas orgías a las que llama "orgías del rebelde": eventos orquestados por uno o más individuos y que "surgen de la sensación de confinamiento y restricción que el individuo padece y atribuye a esa sociedad", y a las que destina los capítulos subsecuentes.


En ambos casos la búsqueda es la misma: la huida de una tensión intolerable, y pronostica éxito a la primera forma ya que "ataca la verdadera raíz del problema, (si no va acompañada) de excesivos sentimientos de culpa y autorrepulsa" -el tipo de orgía helénico-, en cambio reconoce en la orgía del rebelde menos posibilidades de satisfacción por la dificultad de valorar correctamente el grado de represión que sufre el individuo y "porque su reacción será desmesurada y lo arrastrará a unos extremos de libertinaje que no le son propios" -suponiendo bonhomía en el género humano.

Aunque se pueda acusar a Partridge de no aportar nada extra a los más de sesenta títulos que incluye su bibliografía, existen en su revisión dos tesis que vuelven interesante su lectura:

-La orgía de tipo helénico no sólo es deseable sino sana para el desfogue social, y

-Las orgías y las épocas de prohibición han tenido un movimiento alternativo y pendular en la historia.

¿En qué momento de campaneo pendular nos encontramos ahora? ¿El sida terminó con la liberación sexual y nos devolvió a la contención? O peor aún, ¿la orgía de cibersexo suplanta la libertad y nos limita a la castidad corporal y genera el sucedáneo adecuado para nuestras sociedades de simulación, y ahora es suficiente fingir -en privado- que damos rienda suelta a nuestros instintos para que el efecto catártico nos envuelva con su ensalmo? Por otro lado, ¿nuestros nuevos rebeldes son los swingers y sus clubes? ¿Nuestras anticlericales "Fiestas de locos" los Coachellas y Vivelatinos? O más radicales: ¿las nuevas descargas se dan en los cuartos oscuros de las fiestas gay? ¿Entre los enfermos de sida y los bug chasers de las bareback parties 2? ¿Debemos identificar a los nuevos orgiastas en las bandas de narcos, secuestradores y pederastas del Edén?

Me parece claro: si un libro -de temática antropológica- publicado hace medio siglo y reeditado, no hace mucho, en el idioma de la mayoría de los países católicos, puede sorprender por las preguntas que provoca, y nuestras sociedades se encuentran tan alejadas de los ideales humanistas y mesurados de los griegos clásicos, es que estamos en el extremo prohibitivo del movimiento pendular, que se ha ralentizado y que amaga con detenerse en esa injusta mitad; simulación de libertades y crímenes catárticos que vuelven espectáculo ambas facetas: el acceso al show de la emancipación y la visualización de aspectos bestiales a que accede el ser humano.

Nunca más la orgía como fiesta divina encaminada al equilibrio y el disfrute.

Jorge Rueda: www.jorgerueda.blogspot.com

[Wayland Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever get a book from someone as a joke? A few years ago, my in-laws decided I needed this for my library. Why? I have no idea, but they seemed amused, and I never turn down a free book. It sat on my shelf for a few years, but hey, it fit a slot in a challenge this year, so I got around to it finally.

Written in the 1950's by an Englishman (two surprises at once, at least for me), it starts off with sections about orgies at they were part of Greek society (where they seem to have been good things), Roman (less so), and the wild chaos of various gatherings through the Middle Ages and Victorian times. Later, the book seems to focus more on individuals, such as Casanova, the Marquis de Sade (of course), Alistair Crowley, and Rasputin.

It was an interesting book, with a surprisingly rational take on the material for the time it was written in. The author, impressively at 23 years old, was informative, amusing, and tackled a subject that would make a lot of people uncomfortable with clear eyes and a calm demeanor. He also had some interesting theories about the use and function of orgies in society, as well as some of the troubles with repressive societies.

It's an interesting read, although given the subject matter and some of the details, probably not for everyone.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The chapter on the Greeks was the best part of the book, the rest contained some items of interest, but tended to be a heavily biased rehash of some old sources that may or may not be reliable. There is no questioning whether or not some of the evidence of wildly degenerate acts by some persons were not the result of a character assassination from biographers and historians, particularly because an extreme adherence to "only the facts" doesn't show in the record until relatively recently. That being said, there was a lot less information contained in this book than I was anticipating, and I learned few new things except mankind's curious preoccupation with flagellation in all periods. I read this book because it was referenced in one of Hunter S. Thompson's books, and he summarized it in a way that made it sound interesting and informative. His summarization was better writing than this book, and sadly I cannot recommend it beyond the first chapter.

[Steven Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

It takes true talent to write a book about sex that bores the readers to tears. The subject matter is interesting and there are quite a few interesting facts in A History of Orgies. I suggest brewing a strong pot of coffee (or tea if that is your preference) before reading A History of Orgies.

[Evol · Rating 2 out of 5]

eesmärk on anda ajalooline ülevaade seksuaalsuse vabastajatest ja piduritest läbi aegade ning sellega kaasnevatest ektsessidest. Välja tuli piibujutt kusagil londoni klubis kui kõigepealt viskit juuakse ja pärast litsidesse minnakse.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

A more appropriate title would be "a history of sexual violence". Had some interesting analysis on ancient greek and roman cultural phemonima then descended into a litany of anecdotal debaucheries from middle ages and on.

[AleSanSil · Rating 3 out of 5]

El tema es muy sugerente y desde luego ofrece datos interesantes, pero el libro está lastrado desde el comienzo por valoraciones arbitrarias de tipo psicológico sobre las diferentes sociedades. Esto hace que no se sepa bien qué es una mera opinión sin fundamento y qué era producto de consensos sólidos entre investigadores de la sexualidad.

[Claudio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro interesante, pero no se engañen: es un estudio histórico de las orgías, aún cuando de lo menos que habla es de ellas. Mas bien es un ensayo, utilizando ejemplos históricos, para desarrollar la tesis de que existe una dualidad en el hombre (animal / civilizado) que causa tensiones que deben ser liberadas, y que las orgías son válvulas de escape para estas pulsiones.

Según el autor, el problema radica en que a partir del imperio romano el hombre ha olvidado lo que es realmente el placer, por lo que lo que originalmente (en los griegos) era una función catártica, se transforma en algo oscuro dando paso a perversiones que se resumen en el imponerse al otro. Las orgías pierden su función de placer y se transforman en "protestas", en las cuales el sexo es lo último que importa.

Importante es la reflexión final, en la cual el autor especula que el hombre permanentemente está buscando escapar de algo, lo que en sociedades moralistas y represivas se traduce en sexo desenfrenado, pero que al liberalizarse estas sociedades, el malestar no termina. Por lo tanto, siempre estamos escapando de algo, pero no sabemos de qué.

Interesante, y aún cuando se presenta como una persona librepensadora, se nota que fue escrito en 1953 en Inglaterra. Aún así, bastante recomendable.

[Joao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro já em si histórico, dado ter sido escrito em 1958. É interessante ler qual era a perspectiva sobre um tema polémico como orgias, de alguém que é dum tempo anterior à revolução sexual dos anos 60.

Sem entrar em grandes pormenores sórdidos, aborda a necessidade das mesmas em cada período histórico e o seu contexto moral e cultural. Começa nos Gregos, Romanos (abordando as manifestações violentas dos circos romanos), a idade medieval (as bruxas, os hereges e outros cultos), a Renascença (os Borgias, e o renascer do modelos Romanos e Gregos), Iluminismo (Casanova, Sade, os Rakes Ingleses e os "Gentleman Clubs"), o Puritanismo Vitoriano e o mundo contemporâneo até aos 50s (com o exemplo do culto Satanico de Crowmley e o Rasputine).

Em geral é bastante interessante, embora tenha uma escrita em Inglês um pouco rebuscada, o que leva a escapar o entendimento perfeito do significado de algumas frases.

[surfmadpig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly interesting stuff. Not as naughty as you're hoping. Lots of opinions from author, some of which fail to convince the reader (and are often unsupported by evidence). All in all, quite a good read.

[Mary Slowik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting, even the 1960 edition which I own. A compilation of the various styles of orgy or groups devoted to sexual practice, as well as a study of the intermingling of religion either promoting or repressing the same, this makes for great bathroom reading. Not for the faint of mind.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just a sex manual but a historical, political religious of the orgy and the effect it has on human society

[Thomas Fortenberry]

Hmmm. Never heard of it until I accidentally discovered this lost gem. very interesting history of an often taboo subject. A recommended study of the wilder side of human nature.

[Marcia Floriano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don´t think it is an erotic book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Not at all! It helps you to understand how cruelty can be disguised.....

[Aetherfrith2]

Librero grande

[Iain Parkes]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14787915