mother in a sordid latrine. The Rome of his time placed no stigma upon homosexuality. It was his irresponsibility not really surprising in a boy of seventeen, whatever his sexual persuasion that brought about his downfall. He had been raised in the East where rulers were expected to luxuriate. He had not been trained in Roman law and tradition-not until too late. He was gentle and just, but he was capricious and foolish, as much the victim of his own shortcomings as any ordinary mortal, though he was emperor of all the world and a god incarnate.

Family Favorites is rewarding reading. It is most certainly literature of a high order. It comes as close to historical accuracy as any novel can be expected to do. It lacks the emotional warmth of Mary Renault's Last of the Wine. But it has a mature objectivity, a clarity of vision, a matter-of-factness in the treatment of homosexuality that is unreservedly commendable.

-James Colton

FORBIDDEN SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND MORALITY by R. E. L. Masters, Julian Press, Inc., New York, 1962, 431 pages.

The present volume, which announces itself as "An objective reexamination of perverse sex practices in different cultures," is another attempt to put the subject of sex upon a rational basis with the hope that it will have some effect upon "legal statutes and law enforcement agencies," a laudable and admirable, much-needed purpose. It is perhaps a little strong to say, as Dr. Benjamin does in his Introduction, that the book represents "attained maturity" in sexology, but on the whole it does make a useful contribution and one would quarrel with very few of the conclusions reached considering that the author has no discernable qualifica-

one

tion for writing the book. The book deals with bestiality, homosexuality, race problems, drugs, and adult-child sex relationships, leaving for later works other aspects of the field.

Probably the best chapter is that on bestiality which is shown to be much more widespread than is ordinarily thought and yet is not so important or the "heinous crime" it was once thought to be. In fact in the ancient religions it was quite common for the deities to be supposed to appear to their followers in animal form and sex relations with them bea recognized subject for artistic expression, as may be seen in the musuems of ancient art even to this day.

Homosexuality and the use of drugs to stimulate desire and potency are presented with a wealth of concrete detail which should prove enlightening to students in the field. In the discussion of adult-child sex relationships, it is brought out that, while certainly none would condone the abuse of children, there is absolute confusion as to what legally constitutes a minor and where the line is to be drawn between legitimate affection for the child and exploitation. The recent book and moving picture "Lolita" does very little to throw light on the problems of this

area.

Doubtless the chapter which would arouse the most controversy and is perhaps the weakest in the book is that entitled "Miscegenation" or race mixing. Much of the discussion is taken up with a refutation of the theories of Norman Mailer and the many myths concerning the sexuality of Negroes which he seems best to exemplify. But it seems of greater value to me to note the inattention given to certain important aspects of the topic. Whether intentional or not, the author seems to accept the popular Southern idea of the wicked Ne-