He tries to prove that there is little or no ground for the theory that God especially condemned homosexuality. Yet he must not shake loose his cornerstone premise that all sexual acts not intended as procreative are sinful. He must demonstrate that the Church is not primarily responsible for public hatred of homosexuals, and at the same time exhort the Church to a degree of reformation. He does surprisingly well at so complicated a task.

It is, however, a little astonishing. to find a sincerely moral cleric apol-

ogizing for historic sins of the Church by saying that some secular figures of times past were worse.

Perhaps it is unfair for a reviewer not to simply accept an author on his own premises, particularly where those premises are forthrightly stated, as here. For any student of homosexual history, this book is invaluable. For the intelligent religious reader, to whom it is primarily directed, it is perhaps the most important book yet published on homosexuality.

-reviewed by lyn pedersen

THE GROTTO

By Grace Zaring Stone (Ethel Vance) Harper, 1951

This novel, with the skillful craftsmanship and sure hand of the experienced writer, approaches the homosexual theme from a somewhat new angle -that of the mother of a homosexual. The inner duels between the two are delicately delineated, as the mother desperately tries first to deceive herself, then, to run from the facts, then, to battle with the man whom she suspects of having designs on her son.

The whole action is picturesquely set against a backdrop of Italian mountains and seascape with the waves dashing against the walls of the grotto which symbolically honeycombs the villa foundations and the drama being played out above.

The climax reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the author's philosophy and perhaps thereby the inherent weakness of all philosophy which finds itself incapable of accepting homosexuality as a fact of existence, therefore in some way "valid." Mrs. Stone's subtly designed plan, whereby the mother schemes to win by losing, is but the measure of the customary heteorsexual inability to squarely face the issue. Would it be cruel to hint that the mother's victory was outward only and that she could no more "win" her battle than could Canute command the tides?

Yet this book deserves its place as a serious attempt to face a problem which surely is found wherever there are parents and a homosexual child. Countless families must face the problem whether or not they relish the prospect. It may take a whole literature to chart the way. A salute then, at least, for a good beginning.

W. L.

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