RobKirkpatrick.com

Thanks again go out to Mark Page and everybody at Telling Pictures for including me in the documentary Sex in ‘69: The Sexual Revolution in America, which broadcast Monday night on the History Channel.  If you missed it, you can read more about it and buy a copy of the DVD (http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=464960).  And, of course, my book is also available from the History Channel online store.

I think the highlight for me was seeing myself speak while juxtaposed with scenes of Natalie Wood in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. 

And to Margo Sappington, the great choreographer behind Oh! Calcutta!: You’re awesome, and next time you’re in New York, let me know if you’d like to meet for coffee.

-Rob

Sex in ‘69 airs tonight at 9 PM ET. I was interviewed for this program and will appear in four of its nine segments.

Travel back to 1969 and uncover fascinating trends, people and events that forever changed the way Americans think about and have sex. Viewers will travel from the Playboy Penthouse in Los Angeles to San Francisco’s Hippie crash pads, the boardwalk in Atlantic City, a court room in Miami, and other spots across America to meet some of the women and men who found themselves caught between old values and new desires in 1969, and decided to do something about it. Some of them, like Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner, actor Jim Brown, and Ray Manzarek of The Doors, will be famous. Others will be average Americans whose lives were transformed by the sexual tides coursing through the nation as the Sixties came to a close. But they will all have one thing in common–they will all have fascinating stories to tell.

Rating: TVPG

Running Time: 120 minutes

I’m pleased to say that 1969: The Year Everything Changed has been picked up for a special sales deal by the History Channel for their web store:

http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=106101&v=All 

And…I’m told that the History Channel documentary Sex in ‘69, in which I’m interviewed, will air Monday, July 27,  at 9 pm – with the proverbial “check the local listings for the exact time in your area.”

- Rob

In a year of riots and protests – including the Harvard Student Strike, People’s Park, the War Moratorium, the Days of Rage, and the occupation of Alcatraz – perhaps the most pivotal in terms of lasting influence were the Stonewall Riots, which occurred 40 years ago this weekend in Greenwich Village. The uprising of patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar on Christopher Street, against a police raid inspired local residents, gay and straight, to join in. Forty years later, it stands as one of the most important rallying moments in the history of the gay and lesbian rights movement in America.

Read this recent New York Times story on Stonewall here: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/22/police-records-document-the-stonewall-uprising/?hp

…and, of course, you can read more about the Stonewall Riots in 1969: The Year Everything Changed, available now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or directly from the publisher.  Visit my book page for links to purchase.

Ps. I also discuss Stonewall, as well as other colorful incidents from the year, in the upcoming History Channel program Sex in ‘69: The Sexual Revolution in America. Air date coming soon!

- Rob

If you live in the Chicago area, or if you get the WGN American superstation on your cable package, I’m going to be on the “WGN Midday News” tomorrow, June 18, scheduled for 12:25 to 12:30 PM CT.

More to come on a publicity gig in Las Vegas for July, and also on the air date for the Free Love: Sex in ‘69 History Channel documentary for which I was interviewed.

Whew, busy week…

1969: The Year Everything Changed (Skyhorse, 2009) 

“The subtitle of his new book, 1969: The Year Everything Changed, may sound hyperbolic, but Kirkpatrick makes a good case that it was a year of ‘landmark achievements, cataclysmic episodes and generation-defining events.’”–USA Today

“A riveting look at a pivotal year.”–Booklist

“In this compelling account, Kirkpatrick treats the tumultuous events of 1969 with the skills of a journalist, a historian, a sociologist, and a sportswriter and manages to insert moments of lightness and triviality into his grand tour. He writes as easily about jazz-pop as about the rise of the American Indian Movement. He follows a harrowing chapter about the Manson family and the Zodiac Killer with a breathless report on the Amazin’ Mets.…Nostalgic for some, revelatory for others, this is a worthy addition to the literature of the 1960s.”–Library Journal

“A compelling account of the historic year.” – History Channel Magazine Club

“Kirkpatrick is a gifted writer who takes all of the events of this remarkable year and shapes them into a single, cohesive story….Each of these moments is fascinating, but taken together, Kirkpatrick weaves an astonishing tale. Whether you lived through that tumultuous time or not, you’ll love immersing yourself into this book.” – Sean Lahman,  author of The Pro Football Historical Abstract

Magic in the Night: The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2009)

“Offers a fresh, compelling look at the Boss’s art, his life, even his country.” – Library Media Connection

“Other books have covered the life and works of popular musician Bruce Springsteen, but few offer [this] depth of analysis and critical assessment.” – Midwest Book Review

“Beautifully written.” – David Barker, editor, Continuum’s “33 1/3″ series

“Rob Kirkpatrick’s rich narrative sheds news light on the songs that have become a soundtrack for the American experience.” – Mark K. Updegrove, former publisher of Newsweek and MTV Magazine and author of Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Inaugurated During Times of Crisis

Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators: The War-Torn Career of an All-Star Shortstop (Bison, 2009)

“Rob Kirkpatrick has written a warm and compelling biography of one of the best but least appreciated ballplayers in the history of our national pastime. Rob’s book is a beautiful celebration of a beautiful life.” – Timothy M. Gay, author of Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend

“Cecil Travis is one of the best hitters I ever faced. Rob Kirkpatrick’s well-researched biography pays tribute to a player who belongs in the Hall of Fame.” – Bob Feller

Just a quick post to tell everybody about the interview I just had for an awesome program that will air later this year on The History Channel, working title: Free Love: Sex in ‘69.  The very cool crew from the Telling Pictures production company had me in for an hour to talk about things like sex on screen, stage and the printed page (all discussed in the “American Undressed” chapter of 1969) as well as the rise of swinger culture and the Stonewall Riots. 

It sounds like they’re putting together an a great show, and I was thrilled to hear that they had interviewed Margo Sappington, the beautiful and talented choregrapher and cast member from the original Oh! Calcutta!  They told me about her visit while I was having my makeup done – another first for me - and I just thought it was cool that I was sitting in the same chair that she had.  (Check out the DVD of the Oh! Calcutta! performance filmed in 1971 and you’ll see why.)

I was psyched to hear about this program…and I understand the History Channel has other ones on ‘69 in the works, which goes to show that attention is being paid to the 40th anniversary of this landmark year in America. 

Thanks again to Mark Page at TP and to publicist Lauren Goldberg.  As soon as I find out when Free Love will air, I’ll let you all know. 

-Rob

“A riveting look at a pivotal year.”–Booklist

“In this compelling account, Kirkpatrick treats the tumultuous events of 1969 with the skills of a journalist, a historian, a sociologist, and a sportswriter and manages to insert moments of lightness and triviality into his grand tour. He writes as easily about jazz-pop as about the rise of the American Indian Movement. He follows a harrowing chapter about the Manson family and the Zodiac Killer with a breathless report on the Amazin’ Mets.  Later he describes the surreal convergence of Game 4 of the World  Series with the National Moratorium Day against the Vietnam War….Nostalgic for some, revelatory for others, this is a worthy addition to the literature of the 1960s.”–Library Journal

“The subtitle of his new book, 1969: The Year Everything Changed, may sound hyperbolic, but Kirkpatrick makes a good case that it was a year of ‘landmark achievements, cataclysmic episodes and generation-defining events.’”–USA Today

“Yet for all of the decade’s landmark moments, the final year–1969–hasn’t received the attention it deserves. Just in time for its fortieth anniversary, the newly released 1969 is a compelling account of the historic year, covering politics, sports, civil rights, technology, and more. Written by Rob Kirkpatrick, 1969 explores the events, creations, and ideas that simultaneously brought the Sixties to a close and set the foundation for our country as it is today.”–History Channel Magazine Club