Venus and Aphrodite

July 13, 2020
British historian Hughes (Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities) presents a brisk and incisive cultural history of the mythological goddess of sexual love. Called Aphrodite by the ancient Greeks and Venus by the Romans, she “acts as a barometer for the way the world has viewed desire and lust,” according to Hughes, and incarnates “fear as well as love.” Hughes traces Aphrodite’s origins to intersex fertility symbols in Copper Age Cyprus, her transformation in Greek and Roman mythology into a “laughter-loving” goddess often seen gazing into a mirror and emerging from sea shells, and her influence on Christian iconography of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Hughes enriches her wide-ranging analysis with images of archaeological findings and artworks by Botticelli, Rubens, and Titian, as well as references to Shakespeare’s plays, Sappho’s poems, and Lady Gaga’s songs. Among many interesting tidbits, readers will learn that the female sex symbol derives from a combination of Aphrodite’s mirror and the Christian cross, and that prostitutes were once called Venuses. This informative and entertaining history deserves a wide readership.

September 4, 2020

Quick paced, insightful, and often times humorous, this newest work by Hughes (history, New Coll. of the Humanities; Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities) is an approachable look at the ancient legacy of the goddess, Aphrodite-Venus. The author provides an impressive exploration of over 4,000 years of human history, as well as the relationship between the goddess and the collective human psyche. From Syria through the Greek islands, and south into Egypt, the journey of the goddess can be traced through prehistory and ancient history all the way to contemporary popular culture, as people continue to use her as a guide to understand the world around them. Hughes asserts that Aphrodite-Venus was, and continues to be, a symbol for humanity's relationship with sex, violence, power, and religion all wrapped up into this complex figure of feminine divinity. Even as her image changed to merge with other iconic figures, such as the Virgin Mary, and as various religious leaders tried to tarnish her memory for political gain, Aphrodite-Venus has not left the collective imagination. As Hughes notes, she continues to inspire generations of intellectuals and artists of all genres. VERDICT A lively work recommended for both researchers and casual readers with an interest in prehistory, ancient history, anthropology, religion, and popular culture.--Monique Martinez, Univ. of North Georgia Lib., Dahlonega

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2020
This is a thoroughly enjoyable history of Venus, the goddess of love, and her many manifestations throughout history. From antiquity through modern day, historian Hughes (Istanbul, 2017) artfully weaves together elements of myth, history, religion, philosophy, literature, art, and pop culture to demonstrate this deity's centuries-long impact on matters pertaining to love, lust, sex, creation, destruction, and just about everything else. The extensively documented (and quite entertaining) text demonstrates time and again that no matter what name she's had (Astarte, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Isis, Mary) or role she's played (mother, lover, seductress, epitome of beauty, wanton wild woman), Venus has exerted a profound influence on western civilization. Readers are treated to scandalous tales of romping gods and cross-dressing emperors, saucy tidbits about aphrodisiacs and festive fertility rites, and historical insights. Julius Caesar claimed to be her descendant; Cleopatra claimed to be her, and just about everyone from Ovid to Sappho to Savonarola (not a fan) to Shakespeare to Napoleon, Freud, Andy Warhol, and Lady Gaga have considered her a muse. Fun and fascinating history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)