Robert Rosen to Sign 'Beaver Street: A History of Modern Pornography' Book Saturday

LOS ANGELES — Author and adult industry veteran Robert Rosen will be appearing at Book Soup at 4 p.m. this Saturday in West Hollywood to discuss and sign his book "Beaver Street: A History of Modern Pornography."

The New York resident for 16 years worked behind the scenes in porn for magazines such as High Society, Stag, D-Cup and Swank.

In "Beaver Street: A History of Modern Pornography," Rosen writes in depth about the adult industry, providing what is billed as "a darkly engaging account of its tumultuous decades — from the defining Traci Lords scandal and the conception of ‘free’ phone sex to the burgeoning success of smut in cyberspace in the 21st century."

“I would characterize the book as a deadly serious history that reads like a comic novel,” Rosen told XBIZ.

He describes "Beaver Street" as an "investigative memoir," as he not only explores the mechanics of the major porn profiteers, but also dissects the remarkable events that occurred during his two-decade career while putting them in political, technological and cultural contexts.

“I was working as a men’s magazine editor when the Traci Lords scandal happened back in 1986," explained Rosen, who started using the pen name Bobby Paradise when he was an editor at Swank. "I was an eyewitness, but there were still too many questions I just couldn’t answer so I started doing all this research. I was under the impression it came out of the clear blue, but I can trace it back to the Nixon administration.

"... There were a lot of things like that. Just because you witnessed them doesn’t mean you can really explain them without doing serious research.”

Rosen also talks about two kinds of pornographers — the “self-made men that were really into what they were doing," and others that were born into wealth and inherited businesses from their fathers. The latter, Rosen said, went to extreme lengths to protect their anonymity while they profited from porn.

“I do indeed take these people to task for their hypocrisy,” he noted.

Rosen said he worked on the project from 2000 to 2007, and it took him a couple years after that to decide on a publisher — Headpress in the U.K. 

Rosen previously received critical acclaim for his biography of John Lennon, "Nowhere Man," which was a portrait of the iconic singer's last days.

Book Soup is located at 8818 West Sunset Blvd., LA, 90069.   

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Bad Bella Fronts Latest From MYLF

Bad Bella stars with Hayden Wild in the latest release from MYLF.

Abella Danger Opens Up Like Never Before in X3 Magazine

Powerhouse star Abella Danger lights up the latest issue of X3 magazine, the industry’s premier “authenticity first” publication spotlighting the real personalities, passions, and stories behind today’s top creators.

Electric Novelties Expands 'Gläs' Collection

Electric Novelties has introduced a variety of new items from its Gläs collection.

Pure Taboo Debuts Bree Mills Thriller 'Let Me In Too'

Reagan Foxx stars with Shay Sights in the latest thriller from Pure Taboo, titled “Let Me In Too.”

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

Hookup Hotshot Adds TobyDick.com

Hookup Hotshot (HUHS) has added U.K. paysite TobyDick.com to its network.

Leana Lovings, Shay Sights Front 'Substance' Parody From Brazzers

Leana Lovings stars with Shay Sights in the latest release from Brazzers, a parody of "The Substance.”

Little Puck Stars in Latest Episode of 'The Bottom Floor' From Adult Time

Little Puck stars in the second episode of Adult Time series “The Bottom Floor,” titled “The Second Coming.”

Haley Spades Stars in Latest From Immoral

Haley Spades stars with Charlie Dean, Matt Bird, and Dean Van Damme in a new three-part release from Immoral Productions, directed by "Porno Dan" Leal.

Octavia Red Makes Her Vampired Debut

Octavia Red has made her Vampired debut alongside Talia Mint and 2023 XMA Europas Female Performer of the Year Tiffany Tatum in the new feature “Hunters.”

Show More