Customer Reviews

The Big Penis Book

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You don't have to worry about what the adjective modifies in the title of the book _The Big Penis Book_ (Taschen). The book is big. It is twelve inches square, and weighs over seven pounds, with almost four hundred heavy, glossy pages. It is just the sort of book that can go on your coffee table, if you have such a table to support it, and if you like penises. Big penises. For the penises are big, too. Page after page here, hundreds of photographs, show men who, relaxed or erect, have penises ranging from remarkably large, to gargantuan, to (literally) fantastically huge. Dian Hanson, who previously brought out the less-ambiguously-titled but still similarly-themed _The Big Book of Breasts_, has edited what is mostly a book of photographs, with text that is generally reminiscences of photographers who were shooting models during the 1960- 1990 period, pictures that would go into small distribution magazines or private collections. The pictures, however, are the show, and they are a treat to look at.

As Hanson points out in her introduction, there is no denying the allure of a large penis. "Flaccid or erect, it is aesthetically stunning - commanding every onlooker to consider capacity and consequence." She points out how evolution has formed penises to be big in our species but also to be the objects of our candid regard. So how big is a big penis? The "most prolific penis measurer in history" was probably Professor Alfred Kinsey, who collected statistics from 3,500 men by giving them a blank card they were supposed to put along the top of their erections, mark, and send in. Kinsey didn't find anyone with a penis longer than nine inches, but there are plenty bigger on display here. The interviews are with the photographers rather than the models because many of the models aren't around any more, dead like John Holmes from AIDS, or running businesses or heading families that preclude participating in or reminiscing about their photogenic days. The photographers themselves have moved on, to advertising shots, art production, or launching a quarterly magazine on ancient Egypt. They talk about their models from long ago with fondness (some were lovers); one says, "I'm a frustrated father and I take an interest in a number of these young men - not because I fancy them, but because they've had nightmare childhoods." Some of the photographers remember the models complaining about having too much of a good thing, yearning for penis-reduction surgery because either they attracted only lovers who just wanted a big penis, or because a big penis restricted some of the activities that normal penises routinely enjoy. This is a good message for those of us who know they'll never measure up to the examples in the photos here, or will never have a lover of these dimensions. Hanson writes that fretting over size is silly: "Why should we invest all this anxiety in a couple of inches when we can simply sit back, pop a beer, and let the big boys entertain us like a good game of baseball?"

The photographs are certainly entertaining. There are bound to be those who like to see the possessor of a large penis wearing boots and a leather cap and belt; others are going to find the props pretty silly. Why does this one have a cowboy hat and cap pistol, for instance, and why does this other one think it is time to serenade us on his guitar? One of them gives an emphatic answer to the old question of what a Scotsman has under his kilt. The guys are handsome (often in styles that are already dated), usually with good physiques, and many of the photographs have been fussed over as would befit any studio production. The men who smile at the camera, as if they were playing a happy prank or as if they were sincerely enjoying themselves, look endearing (but maybe that's just my kink). The penises are not just big; flaccid they might do anything, but in erection they are straight, curved, even bent; they are circumcised or not; some look smooth and others look textured; some have a big glans, some small. The differences are remarkable, and probably all the more noticeable because we don't often look at lots of penises the way this book enables us to do. And while they are not just big, they are indeed big, and because they are big, they are cheerful and optimistic. This is a book of fun.

As a gay man, yes, I have a penis fascination. And having come of age in the 70s-80s, I'm familiar with the studios that provided most of these pictures. But after having my porn-nostalgia moment and looking and page-after-page of phalluses - most attached to unattractive men - I came to find this book more funny than erotic. The poses and the photographic settings of these pictures are really quaint by today's standards, or just downright scary and creepy, if you think about it. It's an amusing archive of gay porn from the 30s to the 80s.

The book itself is way overpriced for what it is. The editorial content is superfluous, and sometimes inaccurate. And the mylar cover was damaged in shipping as well. Wait for this book to go on discount.

Oh dear. I am a 70 year old woman and I just happened across this big penis book in my son's room. My son is 45 years old and still single. I think he might be gay. That said, his big penis book is now in my room under my bed. So now my 45 year old single son is probably gay and angry. Well, he should get a job anyway or at least go find some real penis and stop reading about them in books like this. Good Lord this is a big penis book. And I love a big penis. And so does my son, apparently. I give this book ten thumbs up. I can't believe I never knew he was gay. He should get a job. Maybe as a dancer. Anyway, if you like a big penis, you will like this big penis book. Lord there are big penis's in this book. I mean big. Oh dear.

First off I have to say that the 3D effect is awesome in this book, easily one of the best books of 3D I've seen. It's a nice size (pardon) book, in good quality like Taschen does.
Also, yes, the appendages here range from a few average, to big, to oh my god, and a couple in the "No Way" range. Still not sure if the guy at the beginning with a member hanging to his knees was real!
Bad part: Ugly and/or seedy guys. OK, a FEW weren't too terrible, but many were sleazy. Many photos were from the 60s or 70s, judging by surroundings, and one nekkid guy was in an 80s Members Only (no pun) type jacket. No "big" deal with the aged photos. Most of the men were either trailer-parked looking, or young guys who'd rather do porn than get a real job! If the object was to turn on women, NOT! Most of us aren't enticed by a scuzzy guy in cowboy hat and trashy pickup truck, Colt 45 on floor, holding his wanger. Dittos for the wife-beater type flashing his stuff while flipping us off. Then there's one shot that looks like they picked up a homeless guy outside the nearest liquor shop and paid him 5 bucks to lie nude on a smelly couch. Oh, there are other ethnicities here, but they made the black men appear menacing and Latinos look like greasy "suave" stereotypes.
Anyway, yes, there are some giant tallywhackers here. And the effect is so real you'll almost smell the booze and tobacco emanating from the models! If you're just in it for the big parts, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If you want hunks in 3D that you'll want to jump on, not really. I felt like I needed a shot of penicillin after I looked at it.
Like the cover? It's in 3D too and looks very lifelike!

I think this is a very cool book celebrating the endowments of male stars of the 60's and 70's ( Everything from Bob Mizer's Athletic Models Guild to COLT to Falcon to Old Reliable). But be warned, I received two copies that both suffered from the same badly wrinkled/melted dustjacket. It was very disappointing,

Creating a 3-D book on Penis images is a GREAT concept!! Who wouldn't
want a penis (or breasts, or butts-whatever your game is) to pop out?!!
I had purchased the book in it's earlier format last year (non 3-D)- which is EXCELLENT. I now prefer the original format to the new 3-D format-primarily because the 3-D format is edited too much-not all pictures from the original format are used, so there is less content - pictures and text combined. The pictures they have selected are good, but some great ones have been left out from the original format. More importantly, the 3-D cardboard glasses that come with the package are quite uncomfortable to wear, and too dark! You have to look under the brightest of lights or under strong sunshine to view the images. Some images are quite exceptional, of-course-but the glasses are too dark and too uncomfortable-they hurt the bridge area of the nose! The book in it's original format is much better-more pictures to look at! But, people who have not seen the original format and purchase this 3-D edition right away, will definately get a kick out of it!

I bought this for my wife as I bought the Big Book of Breasts 3d. As with that book, most of the photos appeared to be 60's stock photos. She liked this book less than I liked my book. She said that looking at the photos reminded her of what it would be like checking out her dad's friends. The 3d was very realistic, but she really wants an updated version of this idea.

I thought this book would be more current, but I was disappointed to learn that the images included in this less than comprehensive collection of cock, are all from the 70s and 80s mostly. I think there was one decent looking guy in the whole book. Not that this book is marketed as a collection of attractive men, but it is an artistic disaster, because it is an expensive display of old porn, porn that is very dated, and distasteful. The approach the editor took when tackling this project seems incomplete. I would have enjoyed it more if there were also pictures of men from this century; maybe then, we could have seen some sort of logical progression from the early days of gay erotic photography.

I don't see the reason for this craze for extra large penises. Why can't there be a book of men's genitalia with a top length of four inches and a diameter not to exceed one inch (in full erection of course.) I would like to see such a book. Besides this is definitely abnormal. I never seen genitals this large in most mens locker rooms. Besides it is most practical to be able to put it back in the fly after using it. I would definitely not buy this book, even for ten dollars.

I bought this book for a female friend, and I loved it so much that I bought one for myself. At first, this book was a joke gift, until I opened it. It was truly artistic. Women know that size does not matter; however, a big penis is fascinating. The photographs were beautiful!!!