This is a seminal work on gay male s/m. It is both a celebration of the scene for insiders and an ethnographic study, contextualizing practices and beliefs for people outside. I found the documentation of various practices in the middle of the book a tad tedious, though necessary in order to make a full ethnography. Also, the material on neuro-chemistry is old, not wrong but we know so much more now. The last two chapters, summing up the whole and placing it in context with the mainstream of Western civilization is spectacular. Recommended for anyone interested in s/m or the role of subcultures in the mainstream culture.

For people interested in gender there is quite a bit of interesting material on masculinity and its role in the gay male community. ( )

If you read one book about crisco'd up metaphysical 70s SF leather daddies this year! ( )

This is a fascinating look into the world of leather and sm. The hypermasculinity that runs as a subtext throughout this world assumes an pivotal position in the lives of these men. ( )