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JMF's Naturist Reading Room and Bookstore


Here are some books related to nudity and clothing-optional recreation issues, which you can order online from the fine folks at amazon.com by clicking the title links, the links for specific bindings (Paperback/Hardcover) or cover photos for any given book. Thank you for helping to support the time required to maintain this site.

[New]For easier browsing of titles and authors only, you may wish to try the new Compact Listing Format which omits jacket photos, descriptions, and other details. (Those details are still a click away for any book!) To try this new layout, click here or use the button:

[Toggle Full/Compact Listing]

There are so many books of and about nude photography that it would take too much space to list them, but you can easily search amazon for them with this link. Some books about sexuality or sexual attitudes may be listed, as society's attitudes toward sex often reflect attitudes toward nudity.

Send me your suggestions for more titles! I am especially interested in books about societal attitudes towards nudity, and general books and children's books which portray nudity in a natural, positive way. --JMF

[New]Featured This Month (Mid-May, oops, to June 2001)

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Nudity
Social Aspects
Beyond Nakedness
Paul Ableman
ISBN: 0910550565 (Paperback)

Ableman addresses many social aspects of nudity: Adam and Eve, Lady Godiva, public baths, nudism, and the influence of missionaries on naked or nearly-naked tribes and cultures (namely, that the now-clothed natives suffered a severe decline in morality, much to the chagrin of the clergymen). Recommended.
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[New]Most Popular Choices

The five most-clicked books on my site in the last two months:
  1. North American Guide to Nude Recreation, 20th ed.
  2. Living Naked and Frugal: A Handbook for Parsimonious Nudity
  3. We're All Born Naked: Truths About the Human Animal
  4. The Naked Child: Growing Up Without Shame
  5. The Body, Childhood and Society

General Nudity and Nudism topics

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Nudism
Economics
Environment
Living Naked and Frugal: A Handbook for Parsimonious Nudity
Paul Penhallow, Marilyn Lovell
ISBN: 1559501650 (Paperback)

A wonderful exposition of nudist philosophy, showing that living full-time in a nudist resort is not only possible but can actually be extremely economical.
[book cover]
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Religion
Love
Human Sexuality
Love and Responsibility
Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), translated by H.T. Willetts
ISBN: 0898704456 (Paperback)

This book is frequently quoted to refute the idea that nudity and sex must always be related, and/or that naturism is incompatible with religious belief: "Sexual modesty cannot then in any simple way be identified with the use of clothing, nor shamelessness with the absence of clothing and total or partial nakedness... Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person."
More books by (and about) Pope John Paul II
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Photography
[New]Naked New York
Greg Friedler
ISBN: 0393316467 (Paperback)

Well, I guess I have at least ONE photography book listed! A unique exploration of "what ordinary people look like under their clothes."

Search for other nude photography books.
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Human Body
Psychology
We're All Born Naked: Over 50 Remarkable Truths about the Human Animal No One Wants to Believe
John Larsson
ISBN: 158721234X (Paperback)
[book cover]
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Nudity
History
The Nude in Art
The Unfashionable Human Body
Bernard Rudofsky
Out of Print
ISBN: 0442276362
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Religion
Catholicism
Who Told You That You Were Naked? : Freedom from Judgment, Guilt, and Fear of Punishment
John Jacob Raub
ISBN: 0824512030 (Paperback)
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Psychology
Stress Management
Dance Naked in Your Living Room: Handling Stress & Finding Joy
Rebecca Radcliffe
ISBN: 0963660713 (Paperback)
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Nudity
Social Aspects
Beyond Nakedness
Paul Ableman
ISBN: 0910550565 (Paperback)
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Clothing
Nudism
The Importance of Wearing Clothes
Lawrence Langner, Julian Robinson
ISBN: 0803834055 (Paperback)

An erudite and entertaining history of clothing and its impact on the human condition. --Book News
[book cover]
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Nudism
Nudist-Naturist Fact Finder
Ed Lange (Editor)
ISBN: 1555990320 (Paperback)

Search Amazon for more titles by Ed Lange
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Male Nudity
Society
Body Attitudes
The Male Body : A New Look at Men in Public and Private
Susan Bordo
ISBN: 0374280657 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0374527326 (Paperback)

Susan Bordo (who snagged a Pulitzer nomination for 1993's Unbearable Weight) offers a frank, sprightly, and, yes, educational look at the male nude as an index to attitudes about sexuality in the broth of media and pop culture in which, like it or not, we all stew. --Patrizia DiLucchio on amazon.com
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Human Body
Sociology
Children and Teens
The Body, Childhood and Society
Alan Prout (Editor)
ISBN: 0312221444 (Hardcover)
[book cover]
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Topfreedom
Nudism and Health
Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras
Sydney Ross Singer, Soma Grismaijer
ISBN: 0895296640 (Paperback)
[book cover]
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Religion
Judaism
Human Body
In My Flesh I See God: A Treasury of Rabbinic Insights About the Human Anatomy
Avraham Yaakov Finkel (Editor)
ISBN: 1568214251 (Hardcover)
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Nudism
Child Development
The Naked Child: Growing Up Without Shame
Dennis Craig Smith, William Sparks
ISBN: 1555990010

If it's out of stock at amazon, you might be able to get it from the AANR.
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Nudist
Lifestyle
Fun in the Sun : Nudist and Naturist Living
Ed Lange
ISBN: 0910550514 (Paperback)

A pictorial representation of life in naturist settings, by the late Ed Lange, a well-known naturist voice in the U.S.

Search Amazon for more titles by Ed Lange
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Nudism
Research
Alternative Lifestyles
Jefferson P. Selth
ISBN: 0313247730 (Hardcover)

For the serious researcher. A bibliography of special collections and libraries with material on a number of topics (communes, sexual freedom, etc.) including nudism. Should still provide some useful leads though it dates from 1986. More by the same author
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Nudity
Therapy
Mental Health
Therapy, Nudity and Joy
Aileen Goodson
Out of Print
ISBN: 1555990282
ISBN: 1555990258
ISBN: 1555990290

Even the mental health community in the U.S. fears tackling the subject due to American religious taboos, but Goodson, in a well written manner, exposes our true reactions to nudity from ancient times, in developing cultures, and in the modern era... She also shows the role that nudity plays in therapeutic healing. (Excerpt from a reader review on amazon.com)
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Nudism
History
As Nature Intended
Adam Clapham
Out of Print
ISBN: 0434980269
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Nudism
Sociology
The Nude Beach
Jack D. Douglas
Out of Print
ISBN: 0803908148

Published field research into the nude beach culture of California (1960's-1970's) done by a Sociology Ph.D. in conjunction with two colleagues. The author examines the daily activities of the nude beach, and changes in attitudes of: the nude beach goers; voyeurs; law enforcement; & the courts. (Excerpt from a reader review on amazon.com)
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Nudism
History
Nudist Society : The Controversial Study of the Clothes-Free Naturist Movement in America
William E. Hartman and others
Out of Print
ISBN: 155599041X
ISBN: 1555990428
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Naturist Site Guidebooks and Travel Books

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Naturist
Guidebooks
North American Guide to Nude Recreation (20th ed., Jan. 2000)
ISBN: 1882033086 (Paperback)

Newly updated guide to landed and non-landed AANR clubs in North America. An all-around excellent nudist resource.
[book cover]
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Naturist
Guidebooks
World Guide to Nude Beaches and Resorts (1997 ed.)
Lee Baxandall
ISBN: 0934106215 (Paperback)

One of the best-known, most respected guides to clothing-optional sites worldwide.
[book cover]
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Naturist
Guidebooks
[New]Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Northwest
Marjorie Gersh-Young
ISBN: 1890880000 (Paperback)
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Naturist
Guidebooks
[New]Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Southwest
Marjorie Gersh-Young
ISBN: 1890880019 (Paperback)
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Naturist
Guidebooks
[New]Canada Naturally
Richard West
ISBN: 0963680501 (Paperback)
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Naturist
Guidebooks
[New]The Canadian Guide to Naturist Resorts and Beaches
Paul Ritchi, photographer, David Basford, ed.
Stephane Deschenes, ed.
Paul Rapoport, ed.
ISBN: 096823321X (SpiralBound)
[book cover]
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Naturist
Guidebooks
Western US
[New]Western United States Nudist Park and Resort Guide
ISBN: 0962857300 (Paperback)
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Naturist
Guidebooks
Western US
California's Nude Beaches/Plus Hawaii, Oregon, & Washington
Dave Patrick
ISBN: 0961488034

1994 edition.
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Naturist
Travel
The Naked Truth About Hedonism II : A Naughty but Nice Guide to Jamaica's All-Inclusive, Very Adult Resort
Chris Santilli
ISBN: 0966268318 (Paperback)

Hedonism II is not strictly a nudist resort, but as a SuperClub with a clothing-optional area, it does attract a fair number of nudists. It has a somewhat wild reputation; this book might help you decide if Hedo matches your own level of open-mindedness.
[book cover]
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Naturist
Travel
Gay Men
[New]Naked Places, A Guide for Gay Men to Nude Recreation and Travel, Third Edition
Michael Boyd
ISBN: 0965608921 (Paperback)
[book cover]
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Naturist
Guidebooks
[New]World Naturist Guide 1998-1999
Out of Print
ISBN: 906716626X
[book cover]

Legal issues related to Nudism

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Nudism
Legal Issues
Recreational Nudity and the Law
Gordon Gill
ISBN: 1887471006 (Hardcover)
[book cover]
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Human Body
Nudity
Legal Issues
Bodies of Law
Alan Hyde
ISBN: 0691012288 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0691012296 (Hardcover)

...[Hyde's] focus [is] on "the way American lawyers talk about the body: the range of metaphors...that cumulatively form a discourse of the body." Hyde teases out buried assumptions revealed by legal texts that define the body as machine or property, grant (or deny) it privacy rights, position reproductive capacity in terms of the market, permit or proscribe display of the body or specific body parts...A bit academic but full of provocative insights. --Booklist
[book cover]
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Nudism
Legal Issues
Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do: The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in our Free Country
Peter McWilliams
ISBN: 0931580587 (Paperback)

This book covers the topic of consensual crimes (sometimes commonly called "victimless crimes") in general. While a lot of time is spent on the harmful societal effects of the War on Drugs, there is a pretty good discussion of public nudity on pp. 450-454. If you want to browse the text of this book before purchasing, visit the author's web site.
[book cover]

Other books of interest to nudists, or that treat the body and/or nudity in a healthy, positive way

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Comedy
Essays
Naked
David Sedaris
ISBN: 0316777730 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0316779490 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1570424810 (AudioCassette)

A humorous collection of autobiographical essays, one (from which the book draws its title) describing the author's first visit to a nudist resort. Hear the author read excerpts on NPR's Savvy Traveler (RealAudio format).
More books by this author
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Travel
Pack Lightly, Sleep Naked: The Handbook to Make Travel Easier, Safer, and Sexier
Rebecca Harvin
ISBN: 0964147734 (Paperback)
[book cover]
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Spirituality
Poetry
The Prophet
Kahlil Gibran
ISBN: 0394404289 (Hardcover)

A work of amazing depth and beauty, of such timeless truth and majestic voice that it is hard to remember that it was written in the twentieth century. "Forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean/And when the unclean shall be no more, what were modesty but a fetter and a fouling of the mind?"

Search for more books by (and about) Kahlil Gibran
[book cover]
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Comedy
Fiction
The Metaphysics of Nudity
Eric James Miller
ISBN: 0965216101 (Paperback)
[book cover]

Body-positive Books for Children and Young Adults

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Children's Lit
Body Acceptance
[New]The Curiosity Book
James E. Hunter, Donald Kroitzsh, ed.
William E. Davis
ISBN: 1886699046 (Paperback)
[book cover]
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Children's Lit
[New]In the Night Kitchen
Maurice Sendak
ISBN: 0060266686 (Hardcover)

Past-bedtime adventures by a young boy, mostly nude (and anatomically correct!) 25th Anniversary Edition
[book cover]
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Children's Lit
Sex Education
Sexuality
[New]It's Perfectly Normal : Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health
Robie H. Harris, illust. by Michael Emberley
ISBN: 1564021599 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1564021998 (Hardcover)
[book cover]
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Children's Lit
No Clothes Today!
Catarina Kruusval
ISBN: 9129630746 (Hardcover)
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Children's Lit
Bare Naked Book (Annick Toddler Series)
Kathy Stinson, illust. by Heather Collins
ISBN: 0920303528 (Lib.Binding)
ISBN: 0920303536 (Paperback)

A book that celebrates the joy of being bare naked as experienced by the youngest of book lovers, THE BARE NAKED BOOK features endearing illustrations by veteran illustrator Heather Collins.--amazon.com

The illustrations are wonderful, and they portray a wide array of people: old, young, different colors, some in wheelchairs, some "bare naked" (as the title implies). The unstated message is that bodies are wonderful as a whole, and as a sum of their parts. --excerpt from W. D. Peckenpaugh's review on amazon.com
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Children's Lit
Bellybuttons Are Navels (Young Readers Series)
Mark Schoen, illust. by M. J. Quay
ISBN: 0879755857 (Hardcover)

Teaches children the correct names of all of their body parts, with straightforward illustrations.
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Human Anatomy
Children's Lit
The Children's Atlas of the Human Body : Actual Size Bones, Muscles, and Organs in Full Color (Book and Chart)
Richard Walker
ISBN: 1562945033 (Lib.Binding)
ISBN: 156294732X (Paperback)

A thorough, nicely-illustrated pictorial guide to the body aimed at children 9-12, with full-size charts of many organs. It even includes diagrams of how the genitals function during intercourse, which probably fall into the "Parental Guidance Suggested" category.
[book cover]
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Children's Lit
No Clothes
Daniel Wood, illust. by Carlos Freire
ISBN: 1550370898 (Paperback)
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Children's Lit
The Emperor's New Underwear
Laurence Anholt, illust. by Arthur Robins
ISBN: 0881663476 (Paperback)
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Children's Lit
Teacher's Secrets: Miss Butterpat Goes Wild
Malcolm Yorke, illust. by Margaret Chamberlain
Out of Print
ISBN: 1564582000

A schoolteacher goes exploring on her vacation and has many exciting adventures, including a visit with a friendly native tribe which wears very little clothing. She unhesitatingly adopts the local manner of dress, and the narration says simply, "Miss Butterpat didn't need her heavy sweater anymore."
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Children's Lit
Favorite Mowgli Stories from The Jungle Book
Rudyard Kipling, illust. by Inga Moore
Out of Print
ISBN: 0671792547

Many editions and adaptations of The Jungle Book (especially Disney's!) "cover over" or ignore the fact that Mowgli wore no clothing of any kind prior to his return to civilization. Inga Moore's beautiful drawings treat the lack of clothing simply and honestly.
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Can't Find What You Want?
Try Browsing These Categories at Amazon:

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