Kinsey: Public and Private

by Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy, Linda Wolfe, Bill Condon

The official companion to the new fall 2004 release from Fox Searchlight, written and directed by Academy Award-winner Bill Condon ( Gods and Monsters , Chicago ) and starring Liam Neeson ( Schindler's List ), explores the life of the pioneer of human sexuality research, Alfred Kinsey. Spanning six decades from his childhood in the early 1900s to his death in 1956, the film turns the microscope on the man whose landmark studies on the sexual behaviors of the common man rocked a nation. The interviewer of tens of thousands, Kinsey subjected his own life and that of his researchers to the same type of analysis that produced his 1948 bestselling book Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. But while the Kinsey team's focus was predominantly outward, perhaps what they learned about themselves was as great as that which they taught their country. In addition to Liam Neeson, the cast includes Laura Linney ( You Can Count on Me , Love Actually , Mystic River ) as Clara Kinsey, Chris O'Donnell ( Scent of a Woman , Batman & Robin ) as Wardell Pomeroy, Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton, John Lithgow, Oliver Platt, and Tim Curry. The illustrated book includes the complete screenplay, an exclusive introduction by writer/director Bill Condon, extracts from histories and biographies of the period, film stills and complete cast and crew credits. 150 color photos.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Sexuality, History, Biography Memoir

351 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 1998

About the author

British author born in 1933, nephew of the English garden writer Robert Gathorne-Hardy.

Reviews

[Dotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book - I loved learning that the film KINSEY - is based on the biography of Alfred Kinsey by Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy. Kinsey was a complex character & a brilliant scientist - and I am proud that he began his renowned sex research right here in my home town, Bloomington, Indiana.
(I'm also a bit proud of the fact that his grand-daughter - Wendy Kinsey Corning is my wonderful and very caring gynecologist!)

From Publishers Weekly
Beyond sex researcher Alfred Kinsey's motives—to enlighten people about sex and thereby sweep away crippling fear and ignorance about it—lay a troubled individual whose research helped him conquer his own psychological demons. In this companion book to the film on Kinsey's life currently in theaters, Kinsey biographer Gathorne-Hardy, Newsweek editor Wolfe and director/screenwriter Condon cover these facts and others with fascinating detail. Both Wolfe's biographical essay and Condon's script dramatize Kinsey's struggle with a puritanical father and his romance with graduate student Clara McMillen, who became his lifelong partner and support. Their relationship survived a difficult early sexual adjustment, as well as Kinsey's homosexual liaisons, while Kinsey's 1948 report Sexual Behavior in the Human Male made waves across the country. The book's second half is devoted to the shooting script, which offers a dramatic contrast to the precise, academic nature of Gathorne Hardy's introduction and Wolfe's essay. In a q&a, Condon talks of his affinity for portraying misfits and outsiders and his decision to adopt a classical Merchant/Ivory filmmaking approach. No biographical work—print or film—can capture all aspects of such a contradictory person, but this book certainly ranks as one of the most illuminating studies ever published about its complex, groundbreaking subject. 32 pages of color photos.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Held my interest. Kinsey was a sick, twisted man. Pedophilia was ok. Coercing people into sexual acts ok, especially if it's your wife or one of your employees or their wives.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really long book - but fascinating from an anthropological standpoint. I saw the movie and was dying to know how much of it was true and what was creative license. Sounds like it was an interesting family to be a part of.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a biography of Alfred Kinsey, the sex-scientist of the 40's and 50's. We had seen a movie of his life recently. My husband,Mike, thought he was a pervert. I was more sympathetic. His own homosexuality and view of sexuality probably skewed the results of his work.

[Audrey Babkirk Wellons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right up there with Oscar Wilde’s bio, and also serves as a fascinating portrait of postwar America.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting biography of a man unafraid to be different who became obsessed with his life work. Also a very good summary of his work and the reason it was so significant for the time.

[Danita · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting subject matter makes up for poorly written text

[Daniel Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read. The author occasionally complains about how wrong other authors have gotten Kinsey, and falls on the sympathetic side of balanced.