Hard-Boiled Masculinities

More about the book

The book explores the evolution of American masculinity between the two world wars, highlighting a shift towards a hard-boiled ideal marked by physical strength, emotional detachment, and aggression. It examines how this changing persona is reflected in literature and magazine covers, particularly in publications like Black Mask, which transitioned from genteel Victorian imagery to portrayals of violent, muscular men, capturing the cultural attitudes of the era.