'Lively' THE TIMES
'Engrossing' THE SPECTATOR
'Stunning' WOMAN & HOME
'Marvellous' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

Through ancient art, evocative myth, intriguing archaeological discoveries and philosophical explorations, Bettany Hughes takes us on a voyage of discovery to reveal the truth behind Venus, and why this immortal goddess is so much more than nudity, romance and sex. It is both the remarkable story of one of antiquity's most potent forces, and the story of human desire - how it transforms who we are and how we behave.

About the Author
Bettany Hughes is an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster. Her previous books include Venus and Aphrodite: History of a Goddess (shortlisted for the Runciman Award), Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities (a Sunday Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Runciman Award), The Hemlock Cup: Socrates, Athens And The Search For The Good Life (a New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Writers Guild award) and Helen Of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore, and. 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
Erudition, with an erotic frisson ... 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 -- Laura Freeman * THE TIMES *
An intriguing tale that tracks the gorgeous and omnipresent Venus of western civilisation back 6,000 years ... engrossing -- Charlotte Hobson * THE SPECTATOR *
A marvellous biography of a goddess that delves beneath her passive modern image ... Hughes's account of Aphrodite's early evolution forms the most fascinating sections of this superb book -- Catherine Nixey * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
Explore the mythological Goddess of Love with this stunning book by historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes. She looks at the origins, archaeological revelations and philosophical implications of the woman known to the Romans as Venus, and to the Greeks as Aphrodite * WOMAN & HOME *



Book Information
ISBN 9781474610384
Author Bettany Hughes
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 240g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 8mm