Research by a leading historian at the University of Aberdeen on the history of plagues and the history of human sexuality has proved its wider appeal to an international market.
Dr William Naphy is a critically acclaimed author and a Senior Lecturer in the University’s History Department, whose two recent publications, The Black Death and the History of Plagues 1345-1730, and Born to be Gay: A History of Homosexuality, have been reprinted in foreign language editions this year.
The Black Death was first published in 2000, followed by a second edition in 2004. It has also appeared in French and German, followed by a Polish edition. And just this month, an Italian edition.
Dr Naphy’s first work on sexuality, Sex Crimes from Renaissance to Enlightenment was Guardian ‘Book of the Week’ in 2002 and led to an appearance on Radio 4’s Start of the Week, hosted by Andrew Marr, along with noted historian Simon Schama. Dr Naphy’s most recent work, Born to be Gay, chronicles the global history of the lives of gay men and women from the earliest times to the present day. It first appeared in 2004 with a second edition later in the same year. In the last few months, Born to Be Gay, has appeared in Portugese.
The publication of two of his works this year in Italian and Portugese brings the number of his works appearing in foreign language editions to three in five languages reaching not only the European market but also an extensive readership in the French-speaking world, and via Portuguese, the Brasilian market.