Mr Playboy
Hugh Hefner and the American Dream
Chapter One
A Boy at Play
Hugh Hefner grew up in a repressive, "Puritan" atmosphere in
which his family discouraged shows of affection. The strict religious
code of his parents forbade emotional displays, drinking,
swearing, or sexual candor, and he yearned to break free and find
love, romance, and emotional connection. This desire finally drove
him to outright dissent in young adulthood and he founded Playboy
as a proclamation of freedom and sexual liberation. In Hefner's words,
"In many ways it was my parents who, unintentionally, developed the
iconoclastic rebellion in me." This personal struggle not only provided
the seedbed for his later career, Hefner argues, but framed
larger issues in modern America that explained the enormous appeal
of Playboy. "Puritan repression is really the key that unlocks the mystery
of my life," he wrote. "It is the 'Rosebud' that explains what my
life is really all about."
Such is the story that Hefner has told interviewers countless times
over the ... read full excerpt from: Mr Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream ebook
