At a time when such topics were taboo to mention, Kraft-Ebbing boldly displays the psychological basis of sexual "deviances".

Homosexuality, masochism, sadism, fetishism, nymphomania, pedophilia, and many other "conditions" are elaborated in this book and demonstrated via case studies. This is the first work on homosexuality, Kraft-Ebbing considers it to be a "biological anomaly" which originates in the embryonic stage of development.

As the book is written from a medicolegal perspective, it's particularly interesting to explore how medicine and judges viewed homosexuality at the time of the famous Alan Turing case.

The book was met with wild success upon publishing, it was considered to be the Bible of forensic psychology for decades, and was adapted into an indie movie with the same name in 2006. Discover why the author intentionally chose an ambiguous title and planted many Latin words in his book, and why he was condemned by the Church!

"Few people are conscious of the deep influence exerted by sexual life upon the sentiment, thought and action of man in his social relations to others."

"So far as sexual crimes are concerned erroneous ideas prevail, unjust decisions are given, and the law as well as public opinion are prima facie prejudiced against the offender."