HOMOSEXUALITY: ITS CAUSE AND CURE

by Dr. Albert (Ph. D.) Ellis ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 2, 1965

Ellis presents yet another titillating title in his seemingly endless series of simplistic monographs on aspects of sex. This one is about those men whose fancies lightly turn to thoughts of other men. First he does a sober rundown on the extant literature about the probable causes of homosexuality. Last, he proclaims the efficacy of rational-emotive psychotherapy for those who wish to be cured. This involves the reduction of guilt and the reconstruction of socially acceptable attitudes, a familiar concept in the treatment of the disturbed. As usual, Ellis makes it sound as though he has a patent pending. Sandwiched between are two lengthy verbatim transcripts of therapy sessions with homosexuals cured. Ellis notes that other therapists scrub up their conversations with patients. Not him. Even though his patients kept ladylike tongues in their heads, Ellis carried on like Lenny Bruce, who said the words aloud in public and got arrested. Donald Webster Cory, the prolific lay expert on homosexuality, supplies the Introduction. He says the organized homosexuals have made Ellis their Sub-Culture Enemy No. 1 because Ellis claims they can be cured which carries the insulting implication that they're sick. (That's new?) Cory also supplies a terminal essay called The Mystique of the Gigantic Penis. Through the tasteless curlicues of his limp wristed prose it becomes vaguely evident that Cory feels he has broken through to a new insight in observing that both homosexuals and sexually voracious women search for youthful, tremendously well-endowed partners. The writing style is in the main-stream of the school of pseudo- scientific smut as social protest.

Pub Date: June 2, 1965

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Lyle Stuart

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1965

Categories: NONFICTION