Rating: 7
December 17, 2007
The title is a bit overstated. Sure, it’s a book about sex. But it’s a lot more. In typical Bell form, he’s redefined the terms right before your very eyes in a subversive way. So, yes, it’s a book about sexuality. But for Bell, sexuality is about connection to others. So, we’re not prudishly unsexual, but because of our need for connection, we are deeply sexual beings. It’s brilliant.
From here, he interweaves this need for connection to a deeper connection for something beyond us: spirituality.
It’s a solid book, though I don’t think it’s as good as Velvet Elvis. I’m still trying to make up my mind about Bell’s cultural background stuff of biblical passages. If it’s true, it’s brilliant. If it’s not, then it’s deceptive. He’ll set up the cultural background so well that when the bible verse comes, it hits like a knockout punch. The problem is, when you look at the footnote, you’ll see that Bell is using the Bible itself. It’s circular. So either, he’s just brilliant or slightly deceptive. (Check out pages 170-171 for an example of this — and he does this all the time both here and in Velvet Elvis.)
But overall, his stuff is solid, and he’s telling it new ways. And it sticks.
You can view its Amazon detail page by clicking the image above.
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