The Alteration
The Alteration is a 1976 alternate history novel by Kingsley Amis, set in a parallel universe in which the Reformation did not take place. It won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 1977.
Creative origins
In his biography of Kingsley Amis, Richard Bradford devotes a chapter to The Alteration, its origins and context within the author's life. In 1973, Amis had heard a reproduction of the voice of Alessandro Moreschi, the last known European castrato. Amis disagreed with the proposition that Moreschi's performance could be considered "great art," because Moreschi had been castrated, and "true" art centred on the celebration of human sexuality.
Bradford argues that this was a matter of considerable importance for Amis himself, as he may have been suffering from impotence or sexual dysfunction in his marriage, due to advancing age. Thus, he took exception to Roman Catholic teaching, based as it was in a magisterium of celibate men who had never undertaken sexual pleasure within their lives.
Podcasts:
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by Down
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THE SEED
by: DownSmoke up, do what you must do
Wake up, inhale the earth grown fumes
Higher than mountains, but oh so goddamn deep
The morning star we reach, think for yourself
And that's you, you times a million
Look around, we surround the fields
On guard for the perfection of the seed
Perfection of the seed
Try hard to stop us which you can't
Outnumbered by the marijuana camps
Larger than nations, I can't name one without
Must kill the king of drought
Planting of pleasure, rising up, stretch towards the sky
Look around, we surround the fields
On guard for perfection of the seed
Perfection of the seed
This way of life has become an addiction
Despite right or wrong and their closed superstition
This way of life has become an addiction
Despite right or wrong, despite right or wrong
Despite right or wrong