Customer Reviews

Tom of Finland Postcard Book (Postcardbooks) (English, German and French Edition)

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Now THIS is how the art of Tom of Finland SHOULD be represented...in a volume large enough for us to appreciate the great detail in his work. UNFORTUNATELY, the people at TASCHEN and the Tom of Finland Foundation found it necessary to re-release this wonderful volume in a SMALLER, cheaper version, and that trend has only gotten worse with the recent release of Tom's "COMIC COLLECTION" - which I reviewed negatively only to see that entire title WITHDRAWN from Amazon in less that 24 hours after my review appeared...so to read THAT review, you'll have to click "SEE ALL MY REVIEWS".

Isn't CENSORSHIP, especially in the Erotic Art World, a real PITY! -- Click on "SEE ALL MY REVIEWS"

His art is about high-octane masculinity, with every straining muscle of these muscular bodies lovingly detailed under clothing about to rip apart at the seams. And that includes the crucial zone below the belt, both fore and aft. There was nothing ambiguous about Tom of Finland's interest in drawing, I know it's no good," he himself said. The eroticism is naked, even aggressive. The poses inevitably consigned his work to the pornography shelves, and the walls of leather bars in the gay scene. So far there has been no account of the artistic virtuosity of his work.

The present volume traces the life and career of this important artist. Born in southern Finland, Tom played the piano at local coffee shops to supplement his income as a graphic artist until his watercolors of male sexuality began to appear as covers on major American gay publications. His impact as an artist has since stretched far beyond the gay scene.

About the Author

Micha Ramakers is an art historian. He has written extensively on the work of Tom of Finland and other visual expressions of post-war gay subcultures. He has been a writer and editor for a number of gay and lesbian magazines and a contributor to several books on international lesbian and gay politics. He has also been the curator and director of the gay and lesbian film festival in Brussels, where he lives.

Text in English / German / French, approximately 350 pages, 500 illustrations

Tom of Finland helped shape a positive self-image in the gay community at a time when being gay was still considered to be a psychological disorder. He has finally been recognized as a great artist and chronicler of the gay "superman" not just in his own country but throughout the world. This book is beautifully put together: The editor and archivist have created a work with very little text and have allowed the wonderful images speak for the artist. A true collectors item.

Tom Of Finland, a name that changed the self-image of almost all gay men from the late 1940s to the present day.

This book is not just pornography, it is a wake up call of gay awareness. Large, thick and hot, this book has many examples of Tom's artistic and sexual contribution on a large coffee table format and high quality paper.

It's both thought provoking and erotic. It transformed the effeminate gay self image with one that is all man, and very masculine. It is nothing less than an icon.

Oversize HC (Taschen) 1998. Over 300 pages of the art of Tom of Findland. Black-&-white and color plates. An excellent collection of the work from this classic gay artist.

This massive an impressive work is full of art from Tom of Finland. It shows work from all periods of his life. The pictures are mostly in B&W but some are colour. The works are typical Tom of Finland. The volume is thick, large and heavy. a most impressive book to display on a shelf or on the coffee table as a conversation starter. The book can be a bit pricy but as I said it is very large and a good collection of art from tom's various periods. Buy it if you are a collector, you will want to keep it nice. If you just wanna be titalated buy a less expensive and expansive wotk of Mr. Finlands

This fantastic collection of Tom of Finland's best work is essential to any study of post-WWII sexuality. Although Tom's pornographic sketches speak to gay males directly, a wider audience should find this collection fascinating because Tom's work tracks the changing image of masculinity in modern Western society. I've proudly placed this high-quality massive tome on my coffee table and my guests (straight, gay and undefined) have all been drawn to and captivated by the art of Tom of Finland.

When I first discovered this book in a London bookshop, I decided at once that I needed to own it. It's large, it's bulky, but it's beautiful. It needs the large pages to illustrate the finest examples of Tom's works. As an artist myself, who learnt a lot from Tom's unique techniques, I appreciate what a fantastic collection of art, both colour and black and white, has been compiled into this collection. But it's not just pictures; there's an insight into the man himself, a delightful tribute to the Master of Homoerotic Art. This volume is a great tribute to Tom and a valuable tool for the new breed of erotic artists, like myself, waiting for recognition.

Ok, you've all heard it from someone: it's not size that matters. Let's just pretend you were distracted at the time because the mailman just dropped that thick, heavy book in your hands and you just can't wait to see what's going to pop out of it...

Let's see: it's not the latest Harry Potter obviously, but there are plenty of magic wands in it; it's not Steven King's latest horror creation either but it will make your hair stand up and your insides churn up before you can say 'YES!'. Cops, GIs, Marines, lumbermen, jocks, hikers, bikers, sailors, married neighbours, they're all in there. Real men with square jaws, bulging muscles, pumped rearsides, raging anatomies and gigantic manhoods engaged in all kinds of forbidden lusts. They strut their stuff without shame, offering their glorious assets for all to enjoy and forcing themselves on those who dare say no.

Page after page you leave reality behind without a second thought and plunge into this arena of clashing bodies and unbridled desires. This is a erotic trip you won't soon forget. And you thought you had done it all!

I hunted for this book when it was sold out everywhere, finally found a copy and was disappointed. The content of the book was awesome, but the pulpy paper it was printed on was a letdown. I never did buy it for that very reason.