Synopses & Reviews
For centuries, men have been growing and styling their facial hair, whether for the sake of vanity, religion, or cultural considerations, but most of us don’t give it a second thought. The Bearded Gentleman is an authoritative yet lighthearted guide that offers detailed information on some fifty specific facial hair styles: where they come from, how to grow them, and how to maintain them.
Among them are many well-known styles, such as the Handlebar, the Fu Manchu, the Goatee, the Van Dyck, and the more recent Soul Patch. But there are also those that are less familiar, including the Horseshoe, the Lampshade, the Painter’s Brush, the Landing Strip, the French Fork, and El Insecto (a.k.a. the Mighty). There’s also practical advice on choosing a facial hair style that’s right for you, as well as insight into how facial hair has figured in the history of masculinity, including its impact on politics, class, and sexuality.
The Bearded Gentleman is an entertaining, witty, and useful guide to facial hair styles and the men who wear them.
Allan Peterkin’s previous books include One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair, featured in Time, Esquire, and The New Yorker.
Nick Burns is one of the leading writers on men’s grooming; he has covered skin care, fashion, and health for publications including The New York Times, GQ, Details, and Out, and he is author of the popular men’s style blog HommeGrooming.com.
Review
Equal parts humorous and informative, The Bearded Gentleman is a must-read for guys who have or are considering facial hair. Burns and Peterkin provide thoughtful advice on growing, styling and upkeep, with advice from some of the industrys leading experts along the way. Did you know there are right and wrong beard styles for your face shape? Read this book and look your best.
Brian Boye, Fashion and Grooming Director, Mens Health
Facial hair is totally BACK! But anyone attempting to navigate this treacherous and codified world without consulting Nick Burns and Allan Peterkin is destined for gruesome public humiliation.
Simon Doonan, author of Eccentric Glamour
This new book on beards helps men navigate the treacherous waters between laughingstock and Jake Gyllenhaal.... [the book] suggests age-appropriate styles, advising, 'Never apologize, never explain.'
New York Times
If knowledge is power, The Bearded Gentleman will put any pogonophobic to rest. Authors Allan Peterkin and Nick Burns have poured untold amounts of hours into detailing the history and future of facial hair, along with witty (but entirely practical) advice.
Nylon Magazine
From the basic (avoiding ingrowns) to the very specific (achieving the ultimate Klingon), this definitive manual offers advice and instructions for dozens of looks. Our suggestion? Leave the Fu Manchu to the amateurs and use this book to coin your own signature style.
Out
Synopsis
A fun, informative guide to fifty-plus facial hairstyles for men.
About the Author
Allan Peterkin is a psychiatrist and the author of numerous books, including One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair. He lives in Toronto, Canada. Nick Burns is one of the leading writers on men?s grooming. As a journalist, he has covered skin care, fashion and health for leading magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, GQ, Details, Elle Accessories, Out, and Zink and he pens the popular men?s style blog, HommeGrooming.com. He lives in Berkeley, California.