'Allan's work is, in a sense, groundbreaking . opening up a whole new field of study . Allan's book should be required reading.' The Independent 'A serious work of theory, exploring the backside as a site of humiliation and disgust.' The Guardian 'Assholes are like opinions: Everyone has them - but no one has more opinions on assholes than Jonathan Allan.' VICE 'Jonathan Allan has come up with a whole theory of the arsehole . Whether it conjures shame or desire or pleasure or disgust, it is, at least in his mind, something that can unify us.' Dazed and Confused 'Looks at the subject of the 'booty' with remarkable enthusiasm.

including a very interesting assessment of underlying homosexuality in the American literary canon.' Attitude 'Entertaining and informative.' Merrill Cole, author of The Other Orpheus: A Poetics of Modern Homosexuality 'A remarkably fresh and original contribution to contemporary queer studies. I am confident that, with Reading from Behind , Allan will emerge as a widely respected critical voice of his generation.' David William Foster, author of Sexual Textualties: Essays on Queer/ing Latin American Writing 'Allan reorients studies of anality.' Todd Reeser, author of Masculinities in Theory "Readers outside the academy will be rewarded with a fine example of textual analysis--and, possibly, a new appreciation of the anus as the most democratic and empowering of our body parts." Literary Review of Canada.