Description
Where Men Hide is a spirited tour of the dark and often dirty places men go to find comfort, camaraderie, relaxation, and escape. Ken Ross's striking photographs and James B. Twitchell's lively analysis trace the evolution of these virtual caves, and question why they are rapidly disappearing. They find that for centuries men have met with each other in underground lairs and clubhouses to conduct business or to bond and indulge in shady entertainments. In these secret dens, certain rules are abandoned while others are obeyed. Twitchell connects the places men hide with figures like Hemingway and Huck Finn, Frederick Jackson Turner's theory of the American frontier, and the mythological interpretations of Joseph Campbell and Robert Bly. Documenting both traditional and contemporary male haunts, Twitchell and Ross examine the provenance, purpose, and appeal of this little-discussed and controversial phenomenon.
About the Author
James B. Twitchell is professor of English and advertising at the University of Florida and author of many books, including Adcult USA and Lead Us Into Temptation. He is also the author of 20 Ads That Shook the World, For Shame, and Branded Nation. Ken Ross has been a fine art photographer and educator for over thirty years. His photography has been displayed in numerous exhibits and featured in the New York Times and Esquire magazine. He has been awarded a Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Grant and a New Jersey Artist Fellowship for the photographs seen in Where Men Hide.
Reviews
For men who like to think about manhood... and women who are wondering what the attraction is of that grimy garage. Publishers Weekly Readers will find much to enjoy. Library Journal An enjoyable and provocative read. -- Margo Hammond St. Petersburg Times Carefully composed to capture what might be called the aesthetic of male clutter. -- Mike Seely Seattle Weekly By blending anecdote, research and keen observation, the author and photographer bring this little-discussed and controversial phenomenon to light. menstuff.com What Joseph Campbell did for mythology, Twitchell and Ross have done for garages, strip clubs and other masculine hideouts. -- Finn-Olaf Jones Forbes Life A funny, warm account of men and their self-made retreats... Twitchell pays homage to men's caverns of yore. -- Jim Walsh City Pages Twitchell describes, informs, explains, analyzes, and enlightens... In Twitchell's book I can see myself and men I know. -- David Maloof Boston Sunday Globe Twitchell explores what it means to be male. US Airways Magazine Arguing passionately for the continued importance of male bonding and of certain places where no girls are allowed. Brilliant Magazine Any library strong in sociology... will find this an important acquisition. The Midwest Book review Reading these essays is like listening to a witty and broadly knowledgeable after-dinner speaker entertain and enlighten. -- Steven M. Gelber, Santa Clara University Winterthur Portfolio
Book Information
ISBN 9780231137348
Author James B. Twitchell
Format Hardback
Page Count 264
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press