[Book review] Eunuchs and castrati : disability and normativity in early modern Europe

Abstract

Eunuchs in general and vocal castrati in particular remain an object of ongoing fascination for contemporary scholars. The past decade especially has seen a heightened awareness of the importance of the role of the eunuch in Byzantine society and politics and their influence in the early medieval world. The work of scholars like Shaun Tougher, Mathew Kuefler, Neil Moran, Kathryn Ringrose, and Larisa Tracy has brought the subject of the eunuch and his role in history into sharp relief. To date, however, few if any scholars have interrogated the development and position of the castrated figure through the lens of disability studies. Katherine Crawford's new book fills that gap.