Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) -- The pornographic film “Deep Throat” starring the flexible Linda Lovelace premiered in New York on June 12, 1972. A few days later, five burglars were arrested while breaking into the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington. Two years later, Richard Nixon resigned the presidency.

The film made sexually explicit material more acceptable to a mainstream audience, and when the Washington Post began investigating the White House cover-up of the crime, “Deep Throat” became the top informant’s nickname.

Ann Marlowe says that by revealing what used to be concealed, both the film and the Watergate hearings changed the relationship between the public and the private in American life.

Marlowe’s piece on porn star Linda Lovelace is one of more than 200 essays included in “A New Literary History of America” (Harvard University Press). I spoke with co-editor Greil Marcus on the following topics:

1. America Invents Itself

2. Claiming Your Voice

3. Conflict Over Character

4. Beyond Ethnic Identity

5. Motion Pictures

To buy this book in North America, click here.

(Lewis Lapham is the founder of Lapham’s Quarterly and the former editor of Harper’s Magazine. He hosts “The World in Time” interview series for Bloomberg News.)

To contact the writer on the story: Lewis Lapham in New York at lhl@laphamsquarterly.org.

Last Updated: October 31, 2009 00:01 EDT