Greer's simple thesis is that boys have always been the world's favourite pin-ups, but that we have repressed this knowledge and blinded ourselves to their charms, not least because of a confusion between art and pornography - and between delight and desire.



Through a series of carefully constructed themes, ranging from the boy as passive love object to soldier boys, from the boy under the female gaze to "what is a boy?", Greer opens our eyes and invites us to appreciate boys in all their sensuality, flirtatiousness, spontaneity and vulnerability. Whether discussing sculptures of Cupid of Apollo, paintings by Caravaggio or Van Dyck, and photographs by Nan Goldin or Sally Mann; whether quoting Ovid, Flaubert, Milan Kundera or Eminem; whether describing martyred saints, the dancer Nijinsky or James Dean, Germaine Greer explores the iconic ideal of the beautiful boy, with the aid of more than 200 pictures ranging over the whole history of art.