From the vestal virgins of ancient Rome, who were entombed alive if they broke their vows, to contemporary athletes, who abstain to enhance their performance, celibacy has been found in every society of the past & present, a timeless phenomenon that transcends culture & religion. In this spirited & provocative history, Elizabeth Abbott examines celibacy over the span of 3,000 years . . . shaping religious lives, conditioning athletes & shamans, surfacing in classical poetry & camp literature, resonating in the voices of castrati, & permeating ancient mythology. As central to human nature as sex, celibacy has as many stories as adherents, & Abbott weaves them into a seamless tapestry that brings history alive.