Our goal at Sandstone was about understanding society and setting it free. We believe in the sexual self as being at the core of organized social behavior.
(PRWEB) September 30, 2014
Barbara Williamson shares her life story for the first time in her amazing memoir "An Extraordinary Life: Love, Sex and Commitment". As co-founder with her husband John, “the messiah of sex,” of the highly successful and controversial Sandstone Retreat in Malibu, California, in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, the couple started what became known as the hub of the sexual revolution.
The clothing-optional, alternate-lifestyle Sandstone Retreat was outrageously popular, with a membership reaching 500 and nearly 8,000 visitors. Long before today’s reality television inundated the airwaves with its media “personalities,” Barbara and John Williamson were the darlings of the media, with newspapers, magazines, books, movies, and television shows clamoring for interviews.
She says, “Our goal at Sandstone was about understanding society and setting it free. We believe in the sexual self as being at the core of organized social behavior. When sexuality is distorted, it leads to a distortion of the basic self.” Yet, the messiah of sex and the most liberated woman in America stayed steadfast in their marriage. “Based on mutual trust and friendship, the bond between John and I grew so strong that we were inseparable for 47 years until his death.”
But their contributions to society don’t end there. “Upon my retirement, we settled in Fallon, Nevada, and responded to an urgent call to save the lives of lions and tigers facing homelessness and euthanasia. Within 30 days, a permanent home was built for them. Now, we must learn how to feed and care for them. This book offers insight into their personalities. It may shock you to know how much alike we are with these magical creatures on the brink of extinction.” For those who dance to the beat of a different drummer, this is a story that must be read.
“This book is nothing less than a Pied Piper, and it will carry you to new horizons of thoughts and feelings.” – John Burkitt
“This book gives you a glimpse into an extraordinary life that will fascinate and entertain you. You won't want it to end. A MUST READ.” – Ruth S. Anderson
“Its particular wonderment is to see the world through Barbara's eyes, as she is transformed from a quiet farm girl to one of the iconic figures of her era. To see the great changes that came to America not as front page news stories, but as daily moments. And to see bit by bit how a person can become something new and powerful while still retaining their innate character.” – Jonathan Dana
Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR2GR6o4H_c
About the Author
Barbara Williamson was born in the Midwest in 1939, a time when women were treated like chattel and considered second-rate citizens, since male chauvinism was the order of day. From a very early age, she rebelled against everyone who tried to hold her back. Immediately after graduation, she left home and headed for the West Coast to seek fame and fortune. She began her career in the early 1960s at one of the largest, most male-dominated insurance companies in America, and within a short time was earning a five-figure income and out-selling her male colleagues. She accomplished what most people would call the American Dream, but found it empty. “I was dissatisfied, restless, and unhappy. I needed something to challenge my mind and stimulate my imagination. I found it when I met my life partner, John Williamson. Together we embarked on a journey of self-discovery, choosing to live an alternative lifestyle rather than stay stuck in the rut of bourgeois America. We saw a new world where everyone lived in peace and harmony, free from competition, jealousy, and possessiveness, a world of joy and pleasure. Few people had the sheer nerve to go against the cultural edicts, but we did.”
Author’s website: http://www.barbarawilliamson.org
Book Details
Genre: Autobiography
Author: Barbara Williamson with Nancy Bacon
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook 202 pages
Pub date: August 2014
"AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE: LOVE, SEX AND COMMITMENT" (Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-45258-908-4, $33.95; Paperback ISBN: 978-1-45258-907-7, $14.99; eBook ISBN: 978-1-45258-909-1, $4.99) are now available and can be ordered through the publisher Balboa Press, Amazon, or the website of Barnes and Noble.
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