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Summary: Hot photos of diverse bears from Bear magazine
Review: Black-and-white photos make this British coffee-table book of U.S.guys romantic, especially because by contrast so many of these photos have been printed in color in magazine covers and inside magazines like "Bear." Especially too because internet photos are almost all in color which makes the non-color here on a book page work by contrast, knowing that so many of these photos of ordinary bears and men and leather guys were taken during the filming of videos. The all-american cover is a flag-waver of patriotism, or at least American identity. Twice I've lost copies, one to a friend who had to borrow it, and another time I gave it as a birthday present. Donnie Russo and Chris Duffy head the pack. Viva los bears!
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Summary: Bear Papa recommends these photos of very rugged bears
Review: Comparing photo books is like comparing apples and oranges. I quite like Jack Fritscher's American Men as much as I like Chris Nelson's Bear Cult. Both are excellent photographers with two different points of views regarding bears. Nelson is formal. Fritscher is informal. Formal is good on Tuesday night for J/O. Informal is good for Wed night for J/O. Nelson shot Fritscher for his book, but Fritscher has no shot of Nelson in his. Maybe Nelso is more shy or maybe he's not a bear. Both books are also equalized by having introductions written by the same art critic, and by the fact that the same publisher published them both. Smart move, because Nelson and Fritscher give diversity to bears that could be triangulated nicely by the same art critic and publisher putting out a book of photographs by Lynn Ludwig who also shoots a lot of bears. Bears are rich photo territory. Nelson is great. Fritscher is great. Both photographers deserve to be side by side on my book shelf.
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Summary: Controversial forecast of American sexuality
Review: These aren't masculine men.They are merely cardboard cutouts. Like the Village People, these images represent men not as secure confident masculinity rather they need some idealistic fetishistic prop - muscles, hirsuteness, cowboy clothes, policeman's uniform, etc - to help pull off the trick.
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Summary: Controversial forecast of American sexuality
Review: These photographs taken during the last part of the 20th century work on many levels. The photos are erotic in content and in style, which means the pictures are sexy and shot in a sexy way. The photos are intellectually disturbing because each one makes the viewer think. That makes the photos subversive because while the viewer thinks they are merely erotic, they are thought-provoking, and even have a political edge. The photos are beautiful and unusual and are the kind of art that hides itself--which is the best kind of art. The photos get under the skin of men in an age when most media are focused on women. They are as steadfastly about gender as photos of women are about gender. In fact, these rather amazing photos taken before George W. Bush became the war president reflect the brute strength of America as perceived in the world today. In many ways, these photos are a cautionary warning about the basic American character. The fact that this book was published by a British publisher makes the vision and message of these photos about a secret side of the American character all the more revealing. It seems the photographer had a journalistic agenda to speak a truth while keeping the message about American harshness palpitating under the photos' raw beauty.
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