Tom of Finland: His Life and Times (Stonewall Inn Editions) [Paperback]

F. Valentine Hooven (Author)

Book Description

Series: Stonewall Inn Editions | Publication Date: September 15, 1994

When the definitive history of hte emergence of gay culture in the second half of the twentieth century is written, one individual artist is almost certain to be acknowledged for having singlehandedly shaped the erotic imaginations of generations of gay men: hte Scandinavian illustrator Tom of Finland.

Working alone and in secret in a far-off land, the remarkable drawings that sprang from this artist's hands-leatherman-bikers, cowboys, cops, lumberjacks, hardhats, soldiers, and sailors -- become archetypal images that delineated the shape of homoerotic desire.

With Tom's full cooperation in the years before his death, F. Valentine Hooven III hs written a full biography of the man, while tracing the evolution and impact of his art on the world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Perhaps no one has had a greater influence on gay male fashion than illustrator-cartoonist Tom of Finland. In this volume his unusual and triumphant life story is told in words and pictures. The pictures, of course, steal the show, as Tom's bubble-bottomed macho men fight, love, and punish each other. There's still much to be said about Tom's impact on American and European gay culture, but this book provides a good starting point not only for Tom's fans who want to learn about the man behind the leather-clad images, but also for the uninitiated who've always wondered where the leather-cap-and-chaps look origintated. Sadly, with Tom's death the flow of testosterone-packed pictures has stopped, but volumes like this show that there is still life in his legend.

From Publishers Weekly

Popular gay artist Tom of Finland, born Touko Laaksonen (1920-1991), drew "big, uncomplicated, physically oriented men." His ultra-manly hardhats, cops, lumberjacks, leather-clad bikers, cowboys, laborers, soldiers and sailors are idealized types, rugged, dashing men who seem ready for pleasure. This straightforward biography whose candor matches the sexual explicitness of Tom of Finland's art is illustrated with 60 of his drawings and 35 photographs of his friends and family. Hooven, a Finnish writer, charts Tom's bravery as a young lieutenant defending his country against Stalin's troops, his discovery of public gay life in postwar Finland, his travels through the gay underworlds of England and Germany, and his frequent trips to the U.S.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031211365X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312113650
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,773,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who is Tom of Finland?, May 22, 2000

By 

JCB (I Love Seattle!) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Tom of Finland: His Life and Times (Stonewall Inn Editions) (Paperback)

Tom of Finland has become a permanent fixture in gay male popular culture. He is known for the ultramasculine/butch depictions of men in his artwork, perhaps in miltary uniform or in leather. The men's hyper-accentuated masculine bodies have become a paradigm of sorts in gay male culture to emulate...or to clone. TOM OF FINLAND: HIS LIFE AND TIMES is a biography of Tom of Finland the artist. It sheds light on his motivations to draw his men the way he does. It's a quick read, with lots of pictures that show the evolution of the Tom of Finland man. It would have been great to see the pictures in color. This book is a very interesting read for those interested in gay popular culture. It certainly opened my eyes...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must-Have" for any Tom fan, March 10, 2006

By 

Robert B. Poe "rbp52" (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tom of Finland: His Life and Times (Stonewall Inn Editions) (Paperback)

A definitive biography of the man and his work, this book is thouroughly engrossing. The pictures reveal all aspects of this leatherman's ideals, and the text offers insights into his life and inspirations.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An engaging biography of the famous erotic artist, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tom of Finland: His Life and Times (Stonewall Inn Editions) (Paperback)

This book examines the life and motivations of the famous and well-loved erotic artist; Tom of Finland. With many pictures from Tom's comic strip style early drawings through his evolution as a skilled master of the homoerotic.