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In 2003 I found myself sitting at the large dining room table in the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif. I had just met Hugh Hefner and secured his cooperation for my proposed biography, and we were discussing an exchange of letters between him and Ronald Reagan in the 1950s over McCarthyism and the "blacklist" in Hollywood.

As we talked, a series of seven young platinum blonds began walking in one at a time. They kissed him on the cheek and sat down, I smiled at them, they smiled at me, and we all smiled at Hefner. At that point I reached down and pinched myself on the leg, realizing like Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," I "wasn't in Kansas anymore." But there it was, the two sides of Hugh Hefner: the serious public figure who had debated with the future American President, and the private man cavorting with seven lithesome young women. Playboy for the articles; Playboy for the pictorials.

Over the next few years, I spent a lot of time at the Playboy Mansion conducting interviews with Hefner, exploring his enormous archive, attending his parties and social gatherings, and writing my book. Slowly, an understanding of the man and his historical legacy took shape, and Hefner's death a few days ago brings it forward once more.

Hefner deserves to be remembered as a significant historical figure for two reasons. First, he presented a compelling vision of "the good life" in post-World War II America that captured the ethos of abundance in this era. Part of this involved his efforts as a pioneering figure in the sexual revolution that sought to loosen traditional mores, perceptions and behaviors regarding sexuality.

Just as crucial was his cutting-edge role in the consumer revolution. From the outset, Playboy was a guidebook for young men, many of them with good jobs and good salaries for the first time, on how to shop for stylish clothing, recognize the qualities of fine liquor, create a fashionable bachelor pad, and procure a nifty sports car. This vision of sexual fulfillment and material affluence became key components in the modern American understanding of "the pursuit of happiness."

Second, Hefner stood at the center of many contentious debates in the postwar decades. Since first emerging in the 1950s, his endeavors with Playboy triggered debate over some of the most serious and divisive issues in modern American culture: the proper role of sexuality in our culture, our understanding and treatment of women, the nature and limits of censorship and free speech, and the growth of the civil rights movement, of which he was a fervent, and early, supporter.

Behind the historical figure was Hugh Hefner the real human being. Driven to compulsive work and play, witty, enamored of routine and devoted to the movies, he is most memorable, perhaps, for two qualities. His intelligence was striking. After only a few minutes of discussion, one realized that here was a very bright and informed man, someone who had thought deeply about the world around him and his own beliefs and values. Engaging him meant preparing for a vigorous exchange of views with someone who brought real intellectual firepower to the contest.

Hefner also displayed unusual generosity toward just about everyone who entered his orbit. For over 40 years he hosted three movie nights at the Playboy Mansion every week for groups of friends ranging from 20 to 120. The film would be preceded by a lovely buffet dinner, all provided at Hefner's expense. He contributed freely to a host of philanthropies, particularly those involving movie preservation or First Amendment rights.

Once, when I asked Hefner if he didn't sometimes play the role of "Hef" with the silk pajamas and the storied love life, he looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. "Are you crazy?" he replied. "I love my life and wouldn't change anything about it." So whatever one makes of Hefner, it requires recognition of his authenticity and genuine impact on modern American life. Many of his values, once so controversial, have now become mainstream. What we think of Hugh Hefner is really what we think of us.

Steven Watts is author of "Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream" and, most recently, "JFK and the Masculine Mystique: Sex and Power on the New Frontier." Byron Gamarro/Getty Images Hugh Hefner (l.) and author Steven Watts attend a book signing of “Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream.”