Ex Libris
Ex Libris
Most people tend to ask for insight into leather history or want to learn gay leather history. Many do not realize that most of it are hidden within the pages of Gay history in general. Below is a list of books to help start you on achieving that goal. I put them in order of how I would recommend reading them. This way, you are not doing the time warp and going back and forth in history.
The best way to read these books is in the following order.
Homosexuality in History- Colin Spencer. This book is highly referenced and should be considered a basic overview and strong refresher for anyone that wants to have a good starting point on LGBT history. It starts with pre-civilization and ends just after stonewall.
The following two books give a great insight into both the East Coast and Central US activity of LGBT history.
Gay New York – George Chauncery This book covers LGBT history in more detail from the 1800s into the stonewall years.
Chicago Whispers – St Jukie De La Croix – also covers the 1800’s into the stone wall years.
These are two great books that focus on pre-stonewall life stories. They are both fast reads and short.
Growing up before Stonewall : Life stories – Peter M Nabl , David Sanders, Judd Marmor
(UK FOCUS)
Between the Acts: Lives of homosexual men 1885-1967 – Kevin Porter, Jeffery Weeks. A nice historical book and a large read but full of good UK perspectives to compare to our own US.
(UK FOCUS)
(UK FOCUS)
Coming Out: Homosexual politics in Brittan – Jefferey Weeks
Military history of Homosexuality
Homosexuals in the Military: Study of less than honorable discharges – Colin J. Williams, Martian Weinberg. A great insight book for academic junkies. It covers discharges, undesirable removal, and reports and stats from WWII to the late 1970s.
Men Behind Bars- Wooden and Parker. It is recommended by Guy Baldwin, and still one of my favorite books. It gives some awesome behavioral focus and stats on men in prison and their sexual behavior. Also, kinda hot, LOL. What is important is that this focuses on behavior and relationship practices that overlap and are shared with our Gay Leather culture. The amount of overlap provides insight into what socially develops among men forced to share a closed space. How much we share with this world is STAGGERING! This is a study and academic book.
Then I would shift to leather stuff…. These are my more enjoyable books.
The Real Thing – William Carney. Published in 1968, originally prior to Townsend’s Leatherman’s handbook and better in my opinion. (not trying to start a catfight.. read it first!) This is a book of letters from an Uncle to his nephew that has expressed he wants to become a gay leatherman. The Uncle provides his nephew with instructions on what the do's and don'ts are and the behaviors and expectations. Consider it the first handbook. The historical question that lies in this is whether or not William is the creator of the "old guard" concept either by imagination or actual experience. Since this was published as fiction, and William only wrote three books and the later two were not continuations of this book but did cover SM. So, one can only guess.
The Black Leather Jacket – Farren. – History of leather jackets from a Punk perspective. It was a really neat read, and while he is a UK author, his US knowledge is covered in this book and goes in serious depth on kink and punk activity.
Secret Historian – Justin Spring. Great book about Samuel Steward, a hidden name among many in the kink and leather community but should not be.
Eyewitness Drummer - Jack Fritscher - Great book on the magazine's history and contains a large number of historical figures. This is a memoir of the author's involvement and activity surrounding the magazine. It is a great read and full of names, dates, and activities.
Twenty-five years of living in leather: National Leather Association International - Steve Stein. This is an academic book written about the history of one of the oldest Leather organizations in the US. NLA is historically known for its activism, especially in the early years 1986-1999. However, it also covers more. Names, dates, photos. It also focuses on chapter's histories spread around the world.
Urban Aboriginals – Geoff Mains. A book was written by an anthropologist to provide insight into leather and its many customs and activities. Oldie but goldie and should never be overlooked.
There are tons of other books I would recommend, but this list was determined based on the common questions I have gotten over the years by people wanting to get a more academic or rounded view of leather outside porn or just pure fictional works. Should you have a specific interest in a specific subject, you can always use the contact page to shoot me an email, and I will do what I can to help you with your research.
Military history of Homosexuality
Homosexuals in the Military: Study of less than honorable discharges – Colin J. Williams, Martian Weinberg. A great insight book for academic junkies. It covers discharges, undesirable removal, and reports and stats from WWII to the late 1970s.
Men Behind Bars- Wooden and Parker. It is recommended by Guy Baldwin, and still one of my favorite books. It gives some awesome behavioral focus and stats on men in prison and their sexual behavior. Also, kinda hot, LOL. What is important is that this focuses on behavior and relationship practices that overlap and are shared with our Gay Leather culture. The amount of overlap provides insight into what socially develops among men forced to share a closed space. How much we share with this world is STAGGERING! This is a study and academic book.
Then I would shift to leather stuff…. These are my more enjoyable books.
The Real Thing – William Carney. Published in 1968, originally prior to Townsend’s Leatherman’s handbook and better in my opinion. (not trying to start a catfight.. read it first!) This is a book of letters from an Uncle to his nephew that has expressed he wants to become a gay leatherman. The Uncle provides his nephew with instructions on what the do's and don'ts are and the behaviors and expectations. Consider it the first handbook. The historical question that lies in this is whether or not William is the creator of the "old guard" concept either by imagination or actual experience. Since this was published as fiction, and William only wrote three books and the later two were not continuations of this book but did cover SM. So, one can only guess.
The Black Leather Jacket – Farren. – History of leather jackets from a Punk perspective. It was a really neat read, and while he is a UK author, his US knowledge is covered in this book and goes in serious depth on kink and punk activity.
Secret Historian – Justin Spring. Great book about Samuel Steward, a hidden name among many in the kink and leather community but should not be.
Eyewitness Drummer - Jack Fritscher - Great book on the magazine's history and contains a large number of historical figures. This is a memoir of the author's involvement and activity surrounding the magazine. It is a great read and full of names, dates, and activities.
Twenty-five years of living in leather: National Leather Association International - Steve Stein. This is an academic book written about the history of one of the oldest Leather organizations in the US. NLA is historically known for its activism, especially in the early years 1986-1999. However, it also covers more. Names, dates, photos. It also focuses on chapter's histories spread around the world.
Urban Aboriginals – Geoff Mains. A book was written by an anthropologist to provide insight into leather and its many customs and activities. Oldie but goldie and should never be overlooked.
There are tons of other books I would recommend, but this list was determined based on the common questions I have gotten over the years by people wanting to get a more academic or rounded view of leather outside porn or just pure fictional works. Should you have a specific interest in a specific subject, you can always use the contact page to shoot me an email, and I will do what I can to help you with your research.
Happy Reading!
"The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs a lot less."
- Brendan Behan
Fiction
Barrus, Tim. My Brother, My Lover. San Francisco, CA: Gay Sunshine Press, 1985.
Carney, William. The Real Thing. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1968.
Fritscher, Jack. What They Did to the Kid: Confessions of an Altar Boy. San Francisco, CA: Palm Drive Publishing, 2002.
Fritscher, Jack. Leather Blues: The Adventures of Denny Sargent. San Francisco: Palm Drive Publishing, 2011.
Lee, Bill. Leather Rogues (Rouges Series, No 2). New York: Gib Publishing Corp, 1991.
Preston, John. Mr. Benson. Celis Press, 1979
Preston, John. Mr. Benson. Celis Press, 1979. (Originally published monthly in Los Angeles-based Drummer Magazine.)
Rechy, John. Rushes. New York: Grover Press, 1979.
Stein, David. Carried Away: An S/M Romance. Los Angeles: Daedalus Publishing Company, 2002.
Townsend, Larry. The Leatherman’s Handbook 25th Anniversary Edition, Los Angeles: L T Publications, 1997.
"Politics is my hobby. Smut, is my vocation."
- Larry Flynt
- Larry Flynt
NonFiction
Baim, Tracy,
and Owen Keehnen. Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck
Renslow. Chicago: Prairie Avenue Publications, 2011.
Bannon, Race. Learning
the Ropes: A Basic Guide to Safe and Fun S/M Lovemaking. Los Angeles:
Daedalus Publishing Company, 1993.
Bean, Joseph W. Leathersex:
A Guide for the Curious Outsider and the Serious Player. Los Angeles:
Daedalus Publishing Company, 1994.
Bean, Joseph W.
Leathersex Q&A: Questions About Leathersex and the Leather Lifestyles
Answered. Los Angeles: Daedalus Publishing Company, 1996.
Baldwin, Guy. SlaveCraft: Roadmaps for Erotic
Servitude--Principles, Skills and Tools. Los Angeles: Daedalus Publishing
Company, 2002.
Baldwin, Guy. Ties That Bind: The SM/Leather/Fetish Erotic
Style: Issues, Commentaries, and Advice. 2nd Edition. Los
Angeles: Daedalus Publishing Company, 1993
Berlinger, Cain Black
Men in Leather. 2nd
Edition. New York Third Millennium Publishing, 2006.
Berube,
Allan. Coming Out Under Fire. New
York: Plume Publishing, 1991.
Brame, Gloria, Brame, William, and John Jacobs. Different
Loving: The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission. 1st. New York:
Villard Publishing, 1996.
Chauncery,
George. Gay New York. Basic Books,
1995.
Crawford,
Phillip. Gays and the Mafia. Self-Published, 2015.
De la Croix,
St. Sukie. Chicago Whispers: A History of
LGBT Chicago before Stonewall.
University of Wisconsin, 2012.
Eskridge,
William. Gay Law. Harvard University Press. 1999.
Fisk,
Peter. My leather life: early years. Fair Page Media, 2019.
Haberman, Hardy. Soul
of a Second Skin: The journey of a Christian Leatherman. 2007
Mains, Geoff. Urban Aboriginals: A Celebration of Leather Sexuality. San Francisco: Gay Sunshine Press,
1998.
Moser, Charles, and JJ Madeson. Bound to be Free: The SM Experience
to Safe and Fun S/M Lovemaking
Spring, Justin. Secret Historian. New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010.
Thompson,
Mark. Leatherfolk. Los Angeles,
CA: Alyson Publications, 1991 and 2001.
Williams, Colin J., and Martin Weinberg. Homosexuality
in the Military: A Study of Less Than
Honorable Discharges. New York: Harper and Row, 1971.
Wooden, Wayne, and James Parker. Men
Behind Bars. Plenum Press, 1982.
Zieher,
Scott. Band of Bikers. Brooklyn,
NY: Power House Books, 2010.
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