The new updated second edition of John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches is now available as a kindle electronic book at Amazon.com for &9.99.  For those who don’t own a kindle e-reader, the book may be also transferred to personal PCs. Please check out the following link for more information: A Life Measured in Inches Kindle

Kindle News: The upcoming 2nd edition of “Inches” will be reformatted to ensure that the bio is easily transferable to all kindle readers and alternative e-reader devices, putting to rest any issues that some consumers might have experienced with the download to current kindle devices.

Audiobook News: John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches on audio is forthcoming.  Authors Jennifer Sugar and Jill Nelson have been consulting with the audio producer regarding the narrator and selected music that will be utilized to emphasize certain dramatic, humorous and poignant aspects of the book.  We greatly appreciate your patience and promise that the professional completed product soon to be made available for the public, will ensure first rate quality and guaranteed entertainment and production value.

‘Co-authors Jill Nelson and Jennifer Sugar leave no stone unturned with their biography John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches, a well-researched and comprehensive novel documenting the life and times of the well-endowed porn legend.

Featuring comments from over 60 people who knew and/or worked with Holmes, Inches chronicles the captivating, albeit tumultuous life of the King of Porn, from his troubled upbringing, ascension to the top of the adult industry with the Johnny Wadd film series and unusual relationship with underage girlfriend Dawn Schiller to Holmes’ alleged involvement in the 1981 Wonderland Murders and subsequent return to the business that made him famous.

Perhaps the most compelling facet of Inches is the illustration of Holmes’ essentially lonely death in 1988 after becoming infected with a then-relatively new virus known as AIDS, conveyed by both John’s widow Laurie and the man himself from interview excerpts during the latter months of his life.

In addition to Laurie Holmes, those contributing their memories, opinions and stories of John to the book (in both original interviews and statements derived from previous projects) include Schiller, Holmes’ first wife Sharon, Wadd creator Bob Chinn, industry historian Bill Margold, L.A.P.D. homicide detectives Tom Lange and Frank Tomlinson, renowned adult performer and producer Bill Amerson, director Julia St. Vincent and a plethora of porn actors and actresses from the “Golden Era” of XXX such as Gloria Leonard, Ron Jeremy, Juliet Anderson, Ginger Lynn, Sharon Mitchell, Paul Thomas and Buck Adams.

Also included in Inches are author reviews of 200 loops and movies featuring John Holmes, as well as an extensive filmography of titles the actor appeared in during his legendary run as a member of the adult entertainment world.

Overall, John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches is unquestionably the most in-depth look at the life and career of arguably the most iconic figure in the annals of adult cinema.  A highly recommended read for both fans of John Holmes or those interested in the history of porn.’

Inches on kindle – The biography has been reformatted and returned to kindle this month.  Please also be sure to visit the following amazon link for information about obtaining the paperback copy of John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches that includes all photos, a complete filmography and film reviews: John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches

Inches on Audio - John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches in audio format is still in production in Southern California Studios.  Once again, the finished product promises to be an engaging audio experience (presented by vocal artists) for those who are new to John Holmes’ life and career, and also for readers who already own the paperback and/or kindle versions.   The release date will be announced here as soon as the production is finalized. 

Flesh of the Lotus – We are pleased to announce that Bob Chinn’s first novel, based upon the Johnny Wadd film series, is now available at all major online book retailers including Amazon.com.  To purchase your copy, please visit the following link for more information: Flesh of the Lotus: A Johnny Wadd Novel  Please also visit Bob Chinn’s blog for Flesh of the Lotus here to read book reviews and interviews: Flesh of the Lotus -blog  Cover design and back cover painting is by Denise LaFrance.

Terri at \’Bodice Ripper Novels\’ requested a copy of “Inches” for review from BearManor Media and recently posted her thoughts about the book at her website and blog, in addition to Amazon.com. 

BRN is generally specific to reviews about books focusing on old-school romance, but Terri was inspired to learn more about the life and career of the porn legend.

Inches ebook/Audiobook – 2010!

John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches is now available for purchase as an e-book download at this website and also at BearManor Media.  Please click onto “Buy the book now” option for easy access to own your copy of “Inches” via paypal!

Due to strong sales, Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson are proud to announce that BearManor Media will be expanding its horizons by releasing John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches in audio format in winter of 2011, to accommodate consumers with sight limitations, commuters and multi-taskers, etc., who have a love for books of integrity and quality. Authors Sugar and Nelson will put forth a creative and engaging audio presentation of their comprehensive biography with extras to enhance the listening pleasure of audiences.  Please look for details for John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches to be made available as an mp3/download.

Spring 2010 -

New Book Review: 

Top 20 Amazon book critic and non-fiction reviewer, Rob Hardy, recently critiqued A Life Measured in Inches in a review for The Commercial Dispatch publication, located in Columbus, Mississippi.  Please read Size Matters on the home page.

Audiofiles: 

Recently, a segment of a 1986 audio interview with John Holmes was uploaded to our audiofile page.  Please click on Audiofiles to listen to this and also the March 2010 interview with host, Chip Rowe for The Playboy Advisor.

Inches on Kindle:

On June 10th, 2010, John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches was published as a Kindle e-reader book on Amazon.com.  Please visit this link for purchasing information: Inches on Kindle

Summer 2010 -

“Inches” co-authors, Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson were invited exhibitors at this summer’s Exxxstacy Adult Show in Chicago, on July 16th, 17th and 18th.  Please visit this link for a report about the show: Chicago Exxxstacy Show 2010

Winter 2011 -

John Holmes a Life Measured in Inches will be available for purchase in audio format for mp3s players, ipods and other devices.  The book can be purchased at Amazon.com and more stores to be announced once the audio book is ready.

Correspondence: 

Please visit this new category to read excerpts of letters from visitors to this website.  Special correspondence to the authors will be periodically added here:  Correspondence

Authors Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson are pleased to announce that John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches has been published by BearManor Media as a kindle e-reader book on June 10, 2010.  The kindle version of “Inches” is immediately available at Amazon.com for $9.95.  Please visit this link for purchasing information and free chapter samples:  Inches on Kindle 

Note:  The audio format of John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches will be available later this year.

Rob Hardy is a book reviewer for The Commercial Dispatch in Columbus, Mississippi, and a practicing psychiatrist for Community Counseling Services in Columbus.  Mr. Hardy is also a top reviewer for Amazon.com, where a condensed version of this bio review can be found.  The following review is for The Dispatch.

Size Matters by Rob Hardy

“John Holmes had an enormous penis. It would be unfair to say that this fact is the only interesting thing about him, but it really was the only remarkable thing. It was also the thing that determined how his life was going to go. It was what got him into pornography and made him a nationally-recognized star, and that in turn got him involved in drugs and crime and AIDS. If there were nothing to his life besides his record-breaking anatomy, Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson would not have had much to compile in their book _John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches_ (BearManor Media). They have, however, dug so deeply into what was written about the man during his career and what people remembered afterwards that this surely will be the definitive biography. It is almost 600 pages long, although that includes 150 pages of filmography at the end of the book, a list of all the known loops and films Holmes was in, along with a list of reviews of his more famous movies. The text of the book is not a traditional biography. It consists of quotations from many articles, books, and documentary films, as well as from interviews the authors conducted themselves. These are arranged chronologically, and if there is a lack of analysis in this biography, it is made up by the immediacy of the words from Holmes himself, his costars, directors, business partners, prosecutors, wives, and godchildren.

Well, first things first. The book’s subtitle makes plain that inches were the measurement of the man. How big was it? Well, big. No one who has seen a Holmes film will deny that; even his costar and competitor Ron Jeremy admitted himself to be second best in the size department. The problem with penis measurement is that even the anatomists have not come up with a foolproof, standardized way to measure a penis, and then there are all sorts of variables like temperature and degree of tumescence. There are no films of Holmes close to a ruler, but there are reports that he approached the fourteen inch mark, and such reports will not be incredible to those familiar with his films. In the films, too, it is obvious that Holmes’s erections were different from those of other men, and not just by size. His erection would not point upward; that’s just a matter of gravity. But also, his erection didn’t have the sort of firmness that typifies a tumescent penis of ordinary size. There was a standing joke that Holmes never got a full erection, because it would take so much blood he would lose consciousness. Annette Haven starred with him in several features, and found that Holmes’s erection collapsed down; it was “kind of squishy when erect, so actually it wasn’t that uncomfortable… it was like doing it with a big, soft loofah…” However, Ginger Lynn, who was lowered onto Holmes while hanging from a bar in the film _The Grafenberg Spot_, said that being in labor and having a child was easier than getting Holmes inside her.

Holmes, however, is given accolades for being a gentle lover. One star after another (girlfriends and wives, too) say that he knew he might cause some discomfort, and was always solicitous, saying things like “Is it okay? Do you want to stop?” Unlike many well-endowed men, he realized that there was a great deal more to lovemaking than just presenting a large package, and he is praised in these pages for his skill at different forms of foreplay. (He is also praised for an unusual skill which was useful for the directors he worked with: he was able to have an orgasm on cue. Annette Haven said, “He was a professional; got it up, got it off, and got the hell out of your hair.”) Many people make remarks on how nice a guy he was, consistently affable and helpful at least before the drug years started. A male costar remembers, “He would help carry equipment in from the truck and help set it up. He was almost an extension of the crew. You’d never see that today.” He enjoyed being a star, and was gracious with fans and fellow performers. Costar Richard Pacheco had his picture taken with Holmes and had Holmes sign it; the inscription shows some of Holmes’s graciousness and humor: “To Richard Pacheco, who taught me everything I know.” A surprising source of praise comes from the children of Bill Amerson, an adult talent agent and film producer. Sean and Denise Amerson were made Holmes’s godchildren, and Holmes was caring to both of them even during his bad years. Sean here tells a hilarious story of when he was called to the principal’s office, and since his father was not available, Holmes was called. The principal asked Sean beforehand, “That’s not _The_ John Holmes, is it?” and got confirmation. Holmes was serious about Sean’s infraction, discussed recompense and punishment sensibly, and everyone walked away satisfied. “Incidentally,” says Sean, “I was famous in high school from that day on.”

Holmes had two downfalls. One was cocaine, which he started using in the mid-seventies. He had been a Scotch drinker and casual pot smoker, but cocaine, often freebased, took over. Some of his most famous movies are from this time, before the cocaine began to be a problem, but eventually he was stealing props from his sets and selling them, or stealing from fellow actors, breaking into cars, or ripping off luggage at the airport. It isn’t a unique pattern, but it was grim. He worked for a drug supply gang, and stole drugs and money from them. His involvement led to his presence at the horrific revenge murder of the Wonderland Gang in 1981. Holmes was eventually charged with the four murders, but he was acquitted. He thereupon went relatively straight, and any use of drugs became just a recreation, not an obsession. He was able to make a happy comeback into his industry. He had been married, almost secretly, for nineteen years, when his first wife had had enough and sought divorce in 1983, but he formed a strong and supportive second marriage with his comeback costar “Misty Dawn”, a.k.a. Laurie Holmes. He was doing well until he contracted AIDS, the second downfall. It is not clear how he got it, but the knowledge that he had the disease propelled him back to using drugs. He also had unprotected sex with other performers during his final years, including the Italian actress (and member-to-be of the Italian parliament) Cicciolina in 1986, but there are no indications that he passed the disease to anyone. He made public appearances and autograph stops thereafter, but his physical appearance and abilities deteriorated. He died in 1988, aged 43.

Sugar and Nelson have not just given an account of Holmes’s unique life, although they have done that in astonishing detail. They have not been obsequious in praise of “The King,” nor have they neglected to detail his many flaws without excusing the questionable morality of some of Holmes’s off-screen actions (whatever you think of his on-screen ones). This is a look at a time when pornographic movies were going mainstream, an epoch before straight-to-video movies and before the internet. The time included not only Holmes’s first film (1970) in the famous _Johnny Wadd_ series, filmed in one day for $750; but also films with close-to-mainstream production values like the final in the series, The Return of _Johnny Wadd (1986). It’s the period of time covered by the wonderful Holmes-inspired movie, _Boogie Nights_, and any fan of that movie, of adult films, or of Holmes himself will be impressed by the thoroughness of this volume and its, uh, size.”

(On August 1st, this review was published on the website for: Erotica Readers and Writers Assocation )

Inches co-authors Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson have been invited to participate in this special Adult Convention Event in Chicago, that will be held at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Centre on July 16th, 17th & 18th, sponsored by Taboo Productions.   (The centre is located just five minutes from O’Hare airport.)  Signed copies of A Life Measured in Inches will be on hand, as well as promotion of the bio on kindle, and upcoming audiobook and mp3/download formats that will be available later this year.  (Sugar and Nelson are recording “Inches” for audio format this summer.)  For members of the media interested in speaking with the authors during the three day engagement, please write to: info@johnholmesinches.com or sugar.and.nelson@gmail.com 

Please also visit the Official Event website for more information and to learn how to purchase tickets:  Exxxstacy Show – entertainment

“Jennifer Sugar and Jill Nelson are the co-authors of John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches, the definitive biography of the porn legend who was best known for his extra-large penis.  Sugar and Nelson interviewed 35 people who knew and worked with Holmes, then compiled a lengthy filmography of some of the more than 2,500 loops and movies he is thought to have appeared before his death in 1988 of AIDS-related complications.” ~ Chip Rowe 

The full interview is now available in two parts at you tube as a vignette, in addition to the ‘audio only’ version located at this website found under the “Goodies” header.  To view the you tube version click on: Part One and Part Two.  You may also access the videos via our Inches on You Tube page.