Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire

Written by Bettany Hughes

Narrated by Bettany Hughes

A cultural history of the goddess of love, from a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian.
Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the Ancient Greeks conceived of this voluptuous blonde, she existed as an early spirit of fertility on the shores of Cyprus -- and thousands of years before that, as a ferocious warrior-goddess in the Middle East. Proving that this fabled figure is so much more than an avatar of commercialized romance, historian Bettany Hughes reveals the remarkable lifestory of one of antiquity's most potent myths.
Venus and Aphrodite brings together ancient art, mythology, and archaeological revelations to tell the story of human desire. From Mesopotamia to modern-day London, from Botticelli to Beyoncé, Hughes explains why this immortal goddess continues to entrance us today -- and how we trivialize her power at our peril.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: Sep 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781549160110

Bettany Hughes

Bettany Hughes is an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster. Her previous books include Venus and Aphrodite (shortlisted for the Runciman Award), Istanbul (a Sunday Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Runciman Award), The Hemlock Cup (a New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Writers Guild award) and Helen Of Troy. All her books have been translated into multiple languages. She has made many documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, PBS, National Geographic, ABC and the Discovery and History channels. Bettany has been a Professor at the New College of Humanities and Research Fellow at King's College London. She has been honoured with numerous awards including the Medlicott Medal for services to history, Europe's Cultural Heritage Prize and an OBE for services to history.

Reviews for Venus and Aphrodite

[mrdee0 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting history

[venrandle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Bettany Hughes' history of the goddess of love and fertility includes not only the classical divinities named in the title but also their Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Phoenician precursors. It is fascinating how these cultural icons, while superficially similar, varied between cultures and over time. The Semitic goddess Astarte and early Greek Aphrodite, for example, were seen as fierce goddesses of war and conflict, not just the gentle goddess of love and lust with whom we are familiar. The author goes on to show how Aphrodite/Venus influenced the Christian image of the Virgin Mary and continues to have an impact on popular culture. The text is accompanied by excellent illustrations. My only complaint about the book is its brevity--I would have liked more.

[deusvitae · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A historical exploration of the phenomenon of the goddess of love in the Western world.

The author sets forth the mythology, worship, devotion, and influence of the goddess we have come to know as Aphrodite in Greek (Venus in Latin). She starts with the birth story of Aphrodite and the emphasis of service in Cyprus; she then goes back in time to witness the fertility goddess of prehistoric Western Europe and the Wanassa of Mycenean Greece, then shifts east to Inanna/Ishtar/Astarte of the ancient Near East and the association of love and war. The various permutations of Aphrodite/Venus in Greek and Roman culture are then explored, and the connections between Aphrodite, sexuality, violence, fertility, etc. in Classical culture. She then explores the "post-history" of Aphrodite in medieval, renaissance, and early modern art and culture, and the continuation of her influence in modern society.

The book is written for the lay reader without much experience in the Classics, and written in that British imperial style which emphasizes the personal travels and experiences of the author. The work provides a good introduction to the nature and influence of the goddess of sexuality in Western culture and society.

**galley received as part of early review program