Myth and Sexuality

by Jamake Highwater

In this fascinating study of the ways in which our ideas about sex and gender are shaped, Jamake Highwater shows that far from being the most natural force of our lives, sexuality is the one most susceptible to cultural influences. Each culture designates various practices as appropriate or inappropriate, moral or immoral, healthy or unhealthy. Author's TV appearances include the PBS series Six Great Ideas and The Power of Myth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mythology, Sexuality, History, Psychology

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 1990

About the author

Jamake Highwater, born as Jackie Marks, and also known as Jay or J Marks (14 February 1931–June 3, 2001), was an American writer and journalist of eastern European Jewish ancestry.[1] From the late 1960s he claimed to be of Native American ancestry, specifically Cherokee. In that period, he published extensively under the name of Jamake Highwater. One version of his shifting story was that he had been adopted as a child and taken from his Indian home in Montana to grow up in a Greek or Armenian family in Los Angeles, California.

Reviews

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I liked how sexuality was discussed from different religious and cultural viewpoints.

Trigger Warnings: The chapter (Body as Machine) begins with animal cruelty. The chapter (Body as Commodity) began with a gang-rape. Thought I'd include this, as I would have liked to have been forewarned instead of stumbling upon it by surprise.

[Ross]

When I purchased this used book nearly 20 years ago, I had no idea of the controversy behind the person who should be known by his pre-pretendian name, Jay Marks. When this book was originally published in 1990, it was several years after it came out that he was not Native American as he claimed. Verified native authors have called much of his work on North American culture stereotypical and uninformed. I am glad that I purchased it used rather than New.

My interest in this book was not due to his unsubstantiated claims as a Native American, but for the connection of mythology to sexuality as in the title of the work. I am reading it with a different eye that notes his pretendian status and how it might relate to the authenticity of the work. That said, there is good information and I am torn as one who generally chooses not to highlight persons who have done what he has done. I don't recommend buying this book new, and I am taking the contents of the information with cautious interest.

[Dreamersemporium]

good