Thom Magister’s memoir of being trained as a leather Master in the 1950s, “One Among Many,” was published in Mark Thompson’s groundbreaking 1991 "Leatherfolk" anthology. Ever since then it has been widely cited as one of the few firsthand accounts we have about the fabled “Old Guard,” though the men at the time never thought of themselves in those terms. Now, based on his decades of experience, Magister offers a novella, “The Slave Journals,” that depicts an ideal community of Masters and slaves, and 17 erotic stories written from the perspectives of different Old Guard Masters from the 1950s to 1980. He has fictionalized his adventures and those of his friends and partners, but the genuine Old Guard values of responsibility, humility, respect, and gratitude are evident throughout. Few other writers can handle this material with Magister’s authority, and the results are not only historically illuminating but erotically powerful. His unforgettable Masters and slaves will make you think as well as get you off. If your idea of Old Guard practices is largely gleaned from the Internet, these stories will surprise you. “Many have written essays about the Old Guard, but this book conveys its essence in a new way, by showing rather than telling. Thom Magister brings Old Guard concepts to life through characters whose boots you can imagine yourself wearing.” — Rick Storer, executive director of the Leather Archives &amp; Museum “Like a pride of lions, the Centurions roam New York and other cities through the decades. Thom Magister follows his imagined leather club and its members as the times change, but not their integrity. With these stories, and the kernels of history they hold, Magister proves that sometimes the old lions roar loudest.” — Tim Brough, author of "First Hand" and "Skin Tight"

The Slave Journals and Other Tales of the Old Guard

Literature & Fiction

Magister, Thom

Literary

Perfectbound Press

Author/artist Thom Magister, who got into the gay leather scene in 1951 and remained an active leatherman well into the new century, is best known for his essay on the 1950s, "One Among Many," in the great LEATHERFOLK anthology edited by Mark Thompson. In BIKER BAR he shares his memories of how the post-WWII biker bar morphed into the modern leather bar, profusely illustrated with full-color photos of 12-inch action figures outfitted as bar patrons. Thom was only 19 when he joined his first group of bikers, back in 1951 in Los Angeles. Most of the guys were ex-GIs, and the bars they hung out in were grungy watering holes for thirsty men on bikes, no questions asked. When Thom moved back to New York a couple of years later, he found dozens of biker bars around Manhattan. As in L.A., these were for men only, and it was impossible to tell at a glance if a given bar was gay or straight. In the 1950s bikers mostly wore denim mixed with Army fatigues and brown leather bomber jackets. The now-standard black leather motorcycle jacket was a luxury. Times changed, and by 1980 the traditional biker bar had morphed into the modern gay leather bar with only an occasional motorcycle parked outside. And the patrons' favored style had changed from the old casual, scruffy mix to gleaming, polished cap-to-toe leather. The biker bar had been a refuge for loners and outcasts, but the leather bar became a venue for parties, event nights, and contests. What had once been hidden was now proudly proclaimed. Today, in the 2010s, the classic leather look is giving way to newer styles, and in many cities the leather bar, too, is fading away -- pushed out by high real-estate prices and seemingly made redundant by the ease of Internet hook-ups. The leather/rubber/fetish tribe will no doubt create new ways for kinky guys to hang out together. And for the biker, there is always the open road.

Biker Bar

Biographies & Memoirs

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Magister, Thom. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Magister, Thom

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Magister, Thom. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Slave Journals and Other Tales of the Old Guard

Biker Bar