BOOKS

A Woman Doctor :

Looks at Lesbianism

THE MOON VOW by Hazel Lin. New York: The Pageant Press, 1957; 312 pps., $4.00. (Publication date, April 17, 1958.) Reviewed by Ricky Lynn.

When a book is written by a physician, one would expect a volume with scientific ideas. When it is written by a woman physician, one would expect it to be more than ordinarily sympathetic. When it is written by a woman physician with an Oriental background, one would expect a great deal of emotional tenderness. Dr. Lin fulfills all these expectations.

The story is set in Peking, and centers around a very successful gynecologist. She proves to be a very modern physician, for in each case history one can see the effect of her training in psychosomatic medicine. Her laudable interest in the emotional as well as the phys ical factors of each patient set her far above the average specialist. Dr. Huen-hua Wu is concerned primarily with the problem of a sixteen-year-old bride who has failed to consummate her marriage after two months. Her American-educated husband has sent her to Dr. Wu in the hope of salvaging his marriage. Dr. Wu finds it necessary to neglect her own home life in order to delve into the early childhood of Mei Li. This attempt to find the psychological factor responsible for Mei's unhealthy attitude toward her husband leads Dr. Wu into the home of wealthy merchants and into filthy tenements on the outskirts of Peking. She meets the girl's wealthy father and step-mother, encounters the nurse who was Mei's first foster-parent' after her mother's death, and she interviews various personalities involved in the girl's early life, all of which seem to be a futile attempt to find the needed clue to solve the girl's desperate situation.

Eventually Dr. Wu meets Miss Guo, Mei's former gym instructor in a private school. Through several chapters of coaxing and planning, Dr. Wu finally becomes entangled in a Lesbian club through the aus pices of Miss Guo. Here she is led to visit one of the secret meetings that results in the near-fatal expulsion of Dr. Wu.

THE MOON VOW is a book about women. It concerns their hates, loves, passions, and with the accuracy of a physiciam's scalpel, it probes deeply into the labyrinth of a woman's heart to uncover her 26 mattachine REVIEW

deep secret of fear. It is filled with the beauty of time-honored traditions of Oriental civilization. At the same time, the reader is given a fascinating view of modern-day China.

The first three-fourths of the book is so beautifully and tenderly written that this reader was greatly disappointed to find the climax built around the usual stereotyped words and ideas concerning Lesian love. Most unfortunately, the group of female lovers that Dr. Wu encounters is indeed a neurotic, very sick, maladjusted type.

Mis Guo turns out to be the protagonist who is quickly "cured" by a prominent psychiatrist who was recommended by Dr. Wu. If I should indicate what all this has to do with the secret of Mei's deepseated problem, I'd be telling. Besides you probably wouldn't read the book, and after all, even with its "clinical" aspect concerning Lesbianism, there are moments of real tenderness and great pathos that will reward every reader.

New Collection of Articles by Dr. Ellis

SEX WITHOUT GUILT by Albert Ellis, Ph.D. New York: Lyle Seat, Publisher, 1958; 200 pps., $4.95. Reviewed by Wes Knight. (Publication date of this book Is April 15, 1958.)

This book contains 15 long articles on various aspects of current sexual problems. They appeared in Lyle Stuart's THE INDEPENDENT, a liberal tabloid monthly newspaper and two of the articles, "New Light on Masturbation," and "How American Women Are Driving American Males Into Homosexuality," were also reprinted in the MATTACHINE REVIEW. Letters from readers of the series alternately praised and damned the author. Some cancelled subscriptions. It seems that no one read the articles without some strong feelingsbbeing stirred. Because it is so controversial, the book has value to all students of sexological problems. The Ellis penchant for pointing at some identifiable sexual neurosis in everyone is plainly evident in SEX WITHOUT GUILT. He doesn't fling this neurosis-challenge at just one or a few; be doesn't miss anybody.

The author's introduction tells how THE INDEPENDENT was a natural for carrying the series. Outlined is the vigorous policy for the struggling liberal paper which Dr. Ellis admires, even though Dr. Ellis doesn't always agree with some of the things it prints in the non-sexual sphere. Readers of SEX WITHOUT GUILT will also say the same thing about Dr. Ellis, you can be sure!