Andrew Calimach
Andrew Calimach (born 1953) is a Romanian-American author, known for his writings on the subject of same-sex relations in Greek mythology.
Works
Calimach researched and compiled homoerotic Greek myths. He published his research in 2002 under the title of Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths. Included in the collection is a dialogue by Lucian titled "Erotes", featuring a debate between a lover of women and a lover of youths. At the 15th Lambda Literary Awards, held in 2003, Lovers' Legends was nominated in the "Children's/Young Adult" and "Spirituality" categories.[1][2][3] The work has been praised for being true to its sources: "Generally, the 're-tellings' are lively and imaginative, adhering quite closely to the original sources, which have been carefully trawled."[4]
Three years later he collaborated with Israeli director Agnes Lev, Timothy Carter and Steve Gorn in the production of a dramatized version of the myths, released as a CD with the title of Lovers' Legends Unbound. [5]
In 2008 a derivative work by Calimach was published in Romanian, titled Legendele Iubirii. It featured the homoerotic Greek myths in translation, as well as the Lucian dialogue. The foreword was authored by the late Canadian classical philologist James L. Butrica. The Romanian publication of this work has been described as "a cultural event of the first magnitude" and an effort to recreate not just the stories, but classical civilization itself, and the type of man who was representative of Greek antiquity. [6]
Biography
Born in Romania, Calimach is a descendant of the Callimachi noble family of Moldavia.[7] Calimach reached the United States in 1966 with his parents. He was a friend and co-religionist of Allen Ginsberg,[8] both students of Chögyam Trungpa, the Tibetan Buddhist teacher. He has also studied and practiced Mazatec shamanism.[9] His spiritual practices have informed his approach to Greek mythology and helped him recognize the spiritual elements in the stories.[10]
An independent scholar and polyglot who writes on gender studies and other social issues, Calimach divides his time between New York and Bucharest, and continues his studies and writing.[11]
Bibliography
- Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths. New Rochelle, Haiduk Press. 2002. ISBN 978-0-9714686-0-3[12][13]
- Lovers' Legends Unbound. New Rochelle, Haiduk Press. 2004. ISBN 978-0-9714686-1-0[14]
- "The Exquisite Corpse of Ganymede: A Cursory Overview of an Ancient Gender Studies Discourse" in THYMOS: Journal of Boyhood Studies, Vol. 1 No. 2, 117-137. (Fall 2007)
- Legendele iubirii. Miturile necenzurate ale Greciei. Bucharest, Paralela 45. 2008. ISBN 978-973-697-642-1
- "The Hero and the Rogue" in Sami Jalili (Ed.) E.R.O.S #4: MAN. Eros Press. (2013)
- "A Greek tale mocking all tyrants - Archias and his two boyfriends" in Ancient History Magazine 10. Zutphen, Karawansaray Publishers. (May 2017)
References
- Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths — at the Magnus Hirschfeld Archive for Sexology
- The Exquisite Corpse of Ganymede: An Ancient Gender Studies Discourse — at the Magnus Hirschfeld Archive for Sexology
- (in Romanian) Iubiri greco-romane (Greco-Roman love) — an article about Andrew Calimach's Lovers' Legends in Cotidianul
- Author Revives Gay Greek Myths — Article and author interview by Andrew Belonsky on Queerties website
Notes
- "And the winner is. (In the Stacks)". Curve. 13 (3): 40. May 2003. ISSN 1087-867X.
- Book review list from Haiduk Press website Archived October 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- "Andrew Calimach, Lovers' Legends: The Gay Greek Myths". Bryn Mawr Classical Review. September 2003. ISSN 1055-7660.
- Michael Lambert in Scholia Reviews ns 13 (2004) 17. https://www.casa-kvsa.org.za/ScholiaUpdate/2004/04-17cal.htm
- Rundin, John (2006). "Lovers' Legends Unbound. CD adapted from Andrew Calimach, Lover's Legends: The Gay Greek Myths". Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada. 6 (1): 77-78. ISSN 1913-5416.
- Gratian Cormos, "Povestile homosexuale ale antichitatii grecesti" in Revista Tribuna, Nr. 135, 16-30 April, 2008, p.5
- Ziarul de Iasi, CARTE, 15.02.2008. https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/timp-liber/carte~ni4lbh
- Ecaterina Ţarălungă, Enciclopedia Identitatii Romanesti p.140. Bucharest, Editura Litera, 2011 ISBN 9786066002462 http://antim.upsc.md/files/enciclopedia_identitatii_romanesti_personalitati.pdf
- Ţarălungă 2011, p.140
- Calimach 2008, p.148
- "Author bio at Haiduk Press website". Archived from the original on October 25, 2007.
- Verstraete, B. (2002) Review of Lovers' Legends: The Greek Gay Myths by Andrew Calimach. Mouseion 2(3), pp. 413–414.
- Cohen, David (2005). "Review of Lovers' Legends: The Greek Gay Myths, restored and retold by Andrew Calimach". Harrington Gay Men's Fiction Quarterly. 7 (2): 111–115. doi:10.1300/J152v07n02_11.
- Rundin, 77-78