Chainmale: 3SM--A Unique View of Leather Culture [Paperback]

Don Bastian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002

This fast-paced account of one man's experience with his own sexuality, and eventual involvement in a loving and successful threeway kink relationship, is uninhibited and honest. Flowing craftily between coming of age memories, thoughts, and philosophies, and personal scene-related experiences. Mr. Bastian's autobiographical tale of how his 3SM family came to be is engaging and intelligent. Hot yet informative, Chainmale is sure to be an instant classic!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A founding member of CLUB Calgary, Gathering of the Clans and proud leather family member of the 3SM Organization. Don Bastian has been active in the leather community for over a decade. Having held the titles of Mr. Northwest Drummer 1991 and Mr. NLA Ambassador 1995, Don has also been a judge and key member of many international leather events. Most notably, Don holds his leather family relationship with the 3SM members dearest to his heart.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Daedalus Pub Co (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881943151
• ISBN-13: 978-1881943150
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A welcome addition to our leather history, October 6, 2002

By 

Officer Wes (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chainmale: 3SM--A Unique View of Leather Culture (Paperback)

Many how-to books have been written in the last decade, but no autobiographies that I know of. The author perceives his leather journey as spiritual, and shares that journey with the reader. The style includes flashback vignettes - simultaneously relevant and sexy -- that work uncommonly well. The domination and submission elements in the flashbacks were delicious without being lurid.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly as promised, October 9, 2002

By 

TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Chainmale: 3SM--A Unique View of Leather Culture (Paperback)

Everyone's life is unique and Bastian has wisely avoided attempting to make his own journey into and through the gay male SM world universal. The book is a combination of current reflection, memories and scenes that demonstrate not only how much Bastian has changed but how much his subculture has changed. However the book claims to talk about a leather family, a family that is similar to several I know of, yet very very little time is spent exploring who is in Bastian's family. Having a non-traditional family is difficult, add into it any power dynamic and it is even more confusing. Each kinky family really creates its own model -- I had been hoping this book could be one model and I was deeply disappointed it was not.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like reading a private journal, May 20, 2006

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Chainmale: 3SM--A Unique View of Leather Culture (Paperback)

While the somewhat misleading title of "3sm" seems to promise a dialogue about Don Bastian's unique triad living arrangement, his book still offers a good insight into his journey into the world of leather. It is brief, but brevity in this case is the soul of its wit. Don details his personal discoveries and insights as to what he feels makes up the culture and kinship of Leatherfolk as a group. Between his pontifications, he peppers his book with real life scene and session activity that sometimes correlates to his thoughts. (And I must add, can be frustratingly inconclusive in the finality of the act in progress described!)

But if you allow yourself the time to follow Don's self-examination and discovery, then "3sm - Chainmale" will satisfy. I should include that I believe that "3sm - Chainmale" is a great book for kinksters at the entry level of discovery, since Don's personal descriptions, the journey and its beginnings are frequently universal. Revisiting this book some 20 years after I first read it gave me a shudder of flashback as I found parallels to my immersion into Leather Culture. I am glad to have rediscovered it.