Enter to win Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero by F. Valentine Hooven III!

Enter to win Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero by F. Valentine Hooven III! To enter the contest, fill out the form below between Friday, September 18 and Friday, October 9.

TOM OF FINLAND: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero

by F. Valentine Hooven III

Tom of Finland (born Tuoko Laaksonen, 1920-1991), was an iconic and ground-breaking artist who rose to cult status in the international queer community and beyond for his work celebrating the male figure and masculinity during a time when being homosexual was taboo. Created in partnership with Tom of Finland Foundation, Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero is a beautifully detailed account full of never, or rarely seen, materials from his archive. The text was completed just a few months before the death of the artist and he was interviewed at length for it-making this book the only fully approved biography of the legend responsible for creating the muscled, mustachioed gay archetype of the 1960s and '70s. With a foreword by Jean Paul Gaultier, an extensive history, and provocative photos and illustrations, Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero brings to life the story of the icon whose erotic depictions of men influenced many artists, including Robert Mapplethorpe and Bruce Weber.

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 Finland's death, Hooven wrote Tom's biography, tracing the evolution and impact of his art on the world.

About the Book

Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero
By F. Valentine Hooven III
Cernunnos / September 1, 2020
U.S. $50.00 / CAN $63.00
Hardcover / 296 pages
8½ x 11¼" / 300 photographs and illustrations 
ISBN 978-2-37495-133-1

Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. The company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture as well as narrative non-fiction and new works of fiction for adults; children's books ranging from middle grade to young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Abrams Image; Abrams Press; The Overlook Press; Cernunnos, Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and a gift and stationery line, Abrams Noterie. ABRAMS also distributes books for Blackwell & Ruth, Booth-Clibborn Editions, Cameron + Company, Alain Ducasse Édition, Getty Publications, Lucky Spool, The Museum of Modern Art, Obvious State, SelfMadeHero, Tate Publishing, V&A Publishing, and The Vendome Press.

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