This is a remarkably good piece of work. In making her provocative and thoughtful case for the necessity of the obscene, Caputi's mystery of theoretical agendas and vocabularies is so good that she is able to write about them in a language that is accessible to the non-specialist and acceptable as well as interesting to the specialist. Beautifully written, carefully argued, and well-organized.
Christine Di Stefano, University of Washington, Seattle Caputi has provided us with an original contribution to the analysis of debates about pornography. By focusing on the 'obscene' as an important category of human culture, Caputi's analysis promises to push debates about pornography in a more philosophical direction.
Kathleen Jones, San Diego State University Caputi, drawing on Freud, Lacan, and French feminist theorists, has written lucidly about a difficult topic. She argues forcefully that obscenity is essential because it demonstrates the fragileness of the culture and reminds us of another realm, the one without boundaries, the realm of continuity and nonbeing.
Sewsa News
...a fascinating analysis of the status of the obscene and its representation in pornography in modern culture.... Caputi's thesis is masterfully argued....
James Glass, University of Maryland