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Bettany Hughes
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Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire Hardcover – Illustrated, September 22, 2020

by Bettany Hughes (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 428 ratings
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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.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Basic Books
  4. Publication date
    September 22, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1541674235
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1541674233
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Bettany Hughes is out to convince you that the face of Venus familiar to us today—simultaneously salacious and saccharine—conceals a much darker and more complex character… Ms. Hughes’s book packs real punch, particularly when she turns to the ways in which this ferocious goddess has been domesticated.”―Wall Street Journal

"In this lively, wide-ranging book, Hughes paints a portrait of a darker Venus, a violent, vengeful 'shape-shifting' Venus, with salt in her hair and surf at her feet."―The Times

"An intriguing tale that tracks the gorgeous and omnipresent Venus of western civilisation back 6,000 years ... engrossing."―The Spectator

"A marvellous biography of a goddess that delves beneath her passive modern image."―BBC History Magazine

"This is a thoroughly enjoyable history of Venus, the goddess of love, and her many manifestations throughout history. From antiquity through modern day, historian Hughes artfully weaves together elements of myth, history, religion, philosophy, literature, art, and pop culture to demonstrate this deity's centuries-long impact... Fun and fascinating..."―Booklist

"Informative and entertaining."―Publishers Weekly

"Quick paced, insightful, and often times humorous, this newest work by Hughes is an approachable look at the ancient legacy of the goddess, Aphrodite-Venus. The author provides an impressive exploration of over 4,000 years of human history, as well as the relationship between the goddess and the collective human psyche."―Library Journal

About the Author

Bettany Hughes is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster. She is currently professor of history at the New College of the Humanities and a research fellow of King's College, London. She is the author of three popular books, including the New York Times-bestselling The Hemlock Cup. She lives in London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; Illustrated edition (September 22, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1541674235
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1541674233
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.025 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 428 ratings

About the author

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Bettany Hughes

Bettany Hughes

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Bettany Hughes’ first book ‘Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore’ has been translated into ten languages. Her second, ‘The Hemlock Cup, Socrates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life’ was a New York Times bestseller and was shortlisted for the Writer’s Guild Award. Her book ‘Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities’ was shortlisted for the Runciman Award, was a Sunday Times bestseller, and has been translated into twelve languages. Her biography of a goddess ‘Venus & Aphrodite’ was also shortlisted for the Runciman Award. Hughes' latest book 'The Seven Wonders of the World' is already a best seller, receiving great critical acclaim. Hughes has written and presented over 50 TV and radio documentaries. Her programmes have now been seen by over 250 million worldwide. Hughes has received awards including the Naomi Sargent Education Prize for Broadcast Excellence, the Norton Medicott Medal for services to History, and an OBE for services to history.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
428 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ven Randle
5.0 out of 5 stars Brief but fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024
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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.
2 people found this helpful
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Taylor Gruizinga
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent technical writing!
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2023
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One thing I really enjoyed about this book was how the author was able to demonstrate a very robust amount of expertise on the subject coverage, while strategically crafting her writing so that the every day person with very little expert knowledge on this topic could read this book and learn a lot and enjoy it. If I was a University level instructor on history, I would highly recommend this book for students because of the technical writing. The book is incredibly knowledgeable, but easy to digest. Which is a skill very few intellectuals possess, and I would like to commend the author for. The physical construction of the book was also very well done. The book was not damaged in anyway whatsoever when it arrived. The construction materials were pretty standard and I think this book would make an excellent selection to somebody’s home library if they enjoy the subject coverage.

A note on subject coverage. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in ancient Greco-Roman history, and or early societies and mythology. I would also recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an alternative history of these times through a more inclusive and female oriented lens.
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Chase
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and informative
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2023
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This covers a-lot of the history, also tells who was writing what and what the purpose would have most likely been, it can be hard to find good or real information but this is amazing. By this I mean she also was very clear about separating what would have most likely been fictional and what her most likely being. Also has good not so much put in tip for but a lot of good info for honoring, having stories and historical events that describe how you may want to better go about from past experiences.
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Simon Parish
4.0 out of 5 stars Decent
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2023
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This author clearly has studied this topic for decades. She went to archeological sites, dug through archives, really knows her stuff. So the question is: why are we getting such a generic and condensed overview of her life’s work? It touches on each theme here and there, but touches briefly and moves right on to the next topic. I haven’t really come away that much more knowledgeable about Aphrodite, what she represents, and what she means for us today.
3 people found this helpful
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Rachel
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for followers of Aphrodite and Venus
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2020
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I never write reviews but I really enjoyed this book. I've been a devotee of Aphrodite and Venus for almost 5 years and was looking for a book focused on Her from an analytical point of view. That's is exactly what I got.

This book is a scholarly biography/analysis about Aphrodite/Venus's origins, all the goddess that melded together that eventually came to be Aphrodite/Venus, Her roles and what she represented in different societies and how they changed throughout time, Her survival through the Christianization of Greece and the surrounding lands, and what we can learn from Her today.

My only gripe (which is very small) is that the author often conflates Aphrodite and Venus and refers to her many times at Aphrodite-Venus. I didn't mind this, but I know some people do. Other than that, the writing was easy to read and I breezed right through the book (mind you, I'm a very slow reader).

Since She's my patroness goddess, this was an interesting read, and you can tell the author really respects Aphrodite/Venus. I highly recommend it!
14 people found this helpful
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Gerard White
5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond a Biography: A Reflection of Humankind in Its Relationship with the Goddess
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2020
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Masterful! There is so much here that goes beyond what I thought I was getting myself into when I picked this up. I've always been a fan of Bettany Hughes's documentaries, but up until now, I had never read one of her books. Suffice to say, I am now a fan of her writing as well! Thoroughly researched, painstakingly laid out, and masterfully written, Venus and Aphrodite goes beyond simply chronicling the history or life-cycle of the goddess, but shows humanity's relationship with the goddess over the years and what our part in that relationship says about us. Wonderful in voice and filled with energetic language, this book is a must read for all, but I'd certainly recommend it for all readers interested in female empowerment and feminism. One more thing, the "Conclusion" of the book could be one of the most powerful and thought provoking pieces I've ever read. However, you must read the entire book to understand its significance, so flipping to the back and reading simply reading the conclusion will not have the power that it has for the one who follows the journey entire, the twin born journeys of both the goddess and Bettany Hughes herself.
9 people found this helpful
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Gawaine Caldwater Ross
5.0 out of 5 stars Great analysis
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2023
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I love this book. Quite informative.
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Top reviews from other countries

sofia
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in Mexico on June 8, 2022
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Honestly is more than I thought. She gives history with a poetic twist some times. Super recommended.
One person found this helpful
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Brager Vicario
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and in depth.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2024
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Regardless of anyone's qualifications or knowledge about the ancient world this book is a must have for any collection. A very well written and presented piece. A compelling read with some very surprising revelations.
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Kelly Leaver
5.0 out of 5 stars Power to the Gods
Reviewed in Canada on March 12, 2021
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Had to wait a month to receive as was coming from UK but we’ll worth the wait! I love Bettany Hughes & have watched all her television series here in 🇨🇦
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Miss Pratsis
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2024
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This is an incredible concise and yet detailed in the most perfect way, journey of the evolution of the real Aphrodite. When I read this I know the truth of it in my body. Thank you for all the research you have done for us here. And for collating it such a digestible way that allows you to feel the evidence of it all. This has affected my life and will get my work hugely.
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Elle
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining read!
Reviewed in Canada on May 3, 2021
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I loved this book! Lots of historical information told in a way that makes the book a fun and enjoyable read. Highly recommended!
One person found this helpful
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