11 Photos Combine the Erotic and the Divine by Michael Stokes

"Man has no Body distinct from his soul; for that called Body is a portion of a Soul discerned by the five senses, the chief inlets of Soul in this age." -- William Blake

Michael Stokes creates and publishes beautiful books that show both the deeply sexual aspects of the nude male body as well as its heroism and resilience. Stokes is not without controversy. His constant struggle against internet censorship has been valiant. Presenting veteran amputees as unashamedly erotic and powerful is inspirational.

Here, from Michael a few words about his new book from his Kickstarter page:

"To date I have published six monograms, coffee table books composed of my photography, male figure studies with a sexy and sometimes erotic edge. This Kickstarter features two new books. I use Kickstarter to launch new books because it gives me an idea of how many books to print, keeps the publishing costs down, and it is a fun way for people to watch an art project actualize.

"Pledge and then follow me through the process of publishing and distributing your coffee table books. I oversee the layout, personally go to Italy to supervise the printing, and when the books arrive in the United States, I even help my packers pack the books for shipping.

"The photos in the Kickstarter video are just a sample of what will be in the books. Many unpublished images will appear in both books. In order to provide a truly special experience for those who support the books, intimate and exclusive photos are reserved for a project like this."

Divine Eros

Whether you are the observer or the observed, this is where desire, fervor and dedication intersect on an intuitive level. This book features photos of over twenty physically fit models, half of them military veterans - some wounded, some not. A hardcover photo book with dust jacket, 130 pages and measures 13.5 X 10.4 inches. All the images are already photographed and only need to be organized and published.

Collector's Edition - Divine Eros only

A special edition of Divine Eros will be available in a limited quantity of 150 copies. Over the years I have been perfecting these Special Editions, and I now print an image on top of the clothbound cover, which is stamped with foil lettering. The book will fit into a slipcase, which is also clothbound with foil lettering. The book will be hand stamped, hand numbered and hand signed.

See more on his web site, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.