100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on all in-stock orders ๐Ÿš€

Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero

4.35 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 101 ratings, 7 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero is a detailed visual biography of Tuoko Laaksonen, known as Tom of Finland, whose iconic erotic art celebrated gay identity and masculinity at a time when homosexuality was taboo. Created with access to the artistโ€™s private archives and completed before his death, this book offers rare photos, documents, and a full biography of the influential figure behind the muscled, mustachioed gay archetype of the 1960s and '70s.
Read More
Format: Hardback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in arts and culture, LGBTQ+ history, visual biographies, and the development of gay iconography and representation in 20th-century art.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Tuoko Laaksonen, also known as Tom of Finland (1920-1991), was an iconic and provocative artist who rose to cult status in the international gay community and beyond for his work celebrating gay archetypes and masculinity during a time when being gay was taboo.

Created in partnership with the Tom of Finland Estate, Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero is a beautifully detailed visual biography full of never or rarely seen documents from his archive. The text was completed just a few months before the death of the artist and was fully approved by him, making this book the only 100% approved biography of this gay legend responsible for creating the muscled, mustachioed gay archetype of the 1960s and '70s.

With an extensive biography, and suggestive photos and illustrations, Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero brings to life the icon whose erotic illustrations of men influenced many artists, including Robert Mapplethorpe and Bruce Weber.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9782374951331

Publisher: Cernunnos

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 September 2020

Country: France

Imprint: Cernunnos

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 226.0mm

Height: 295.0mm

Weight: 1710g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Philadelphia native F. Valentine Hooven III is a freelance writer and illustrator who lives in Palm Springs. In the years leading up to Tom of Finlandโ€™s death, Hooven wrote Tomโ€™s biography, tracing the evolution and impact of his art on the world.

More from Arts & Culture

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.