One-Handed Histories: The Eroto-Politics of Gay Male Video Pornography (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies) [Paperback]

John Dececco Phd (Author), John R Burger (Author)

Book Description

Series: Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies | Publication Date: December 22, 1994

Explore the titillating world of gay male video pornography in One-Handed Histories: The Eroto-Politics of Gay Male Video Pornography. Author John Burger has compiled years of research on gay male films and videos and covers such interesting topics as:

• gay male porn history and theory
• pre-AIDS and post-AIDS awareness
• the portrayal of safe sex in videos
• popular memory
• gay history
• porn video production
  
  Burger contends that gay male video pornography (GMVP) is “a warehouse of our cultural heritage and memory, as well as an important site for the production and modification of this heritage and memory.” He looks at gay porn from social and historical perspectives, using popular memory as the starting point.
  
  As a form of popular memory, gay porn allows for numerous revisions and re-writings of American history, which has somewhat excluded gay men. One-Handed Histories assists the reader in placing GMVP in its correct social and historical setting and thus removes much of its stigma as obscene or useless.
  
  Gay scholars and even gay porn consumers will enjoy the alternative readings of these films; readings which might instill an interest and pride in gay male history. General gay male readers will discover in One-Handed Histories gay male sexual trends from the late 60s on and how this gay male history is documented by pornography.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (December 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560238526
• ISBN-13: 978-1560238522
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,505,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smut Matters, July 9, 1999

By 

"buddy_x" - See all my reviews

This review is from: One-Handed Histories: The Eroto-Politics of Gay Male Video Pornography (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies) (Paperback)

Already dated when it was published in 1995, this engaging book would benefit from a new edition. Pornography, almost by definition, goes stale quickly, and too many of Burger's examples have disappeared into obscurity just as the performers themselves have either retired or passed away. In addition, some of the trends and sub genres he cites have either become passe or commonplace while new ones have emerged.

Burger's study began as a thesis, and unfortunately, he bogs down and relies too much on the accouterments of academic writing-especially something bizarre and ill-suited from anthropology called the Popular Memory Group-as if theory serves to validate Burger's own interpretations. He doesn't need theory, his discussion rings true without it, and he would have done well to rely only upon his own keen powers of observation and analysis. Stripped of its false-note academic paraphernalia and given more current examples, this book could be some sort of minor classic. It goes a long way toward explaining and demystifying both pornography and gay men's involvement with it without in any way de-eroticizing the video fantasies themselves.

Despite its flaws, this is a lively little book that tackles many matters of great interest to gay men and gay culture.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An insightful, cohesive and intelligent book., November 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: One-Handed Histories: The Eroto-Politics of Gay Male Video Pornography (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies) (Paperback)

Burger offers fresh insight on the social and cultural ramifications of gay male pornography, describing how the videos reflect and influence the eras in which they are made -- from the "closeted" early days of gay erotica, through the wild 70s and early 80s, and on through the post-AIDS period. Though he takes a scholarly approach to his subject matter, the book is in no way pretentious. Burger's writing style is very accessible and often humorous. Hense, you don't have to be an expert to appreciate what he has to say.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An comprehensive, interesting study of gay male porn, November 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: One-Handed Histories: The Eroto-Politics of Gay Male Video Pornography (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies) (Paperback)

Burger exhibits considerable knowledge of his subject matter as he explores the social and cultural ramifications of gay male pornography. This book is informative and interesting without being preachy. Though it is a scholarly book, it is written in a very accesible -- and often humorous -- style. You don't have to be a gay porn expert to appreciate Burger's fresh, original ideas.