Naked at Lunch: A Reluctant Nudist’s Adventures in the Clothing-Optional World

Mark Haskell Smith. Grove, $25 (304p) ISBN 978-0-8021-2351-0

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Throwing both caution and clothing to the wind, novelist and journalist Haskell Smith (Heart of Darkness) strikes a winning combination of personal and journalistic narrative as he investigates the appeal of nudism. Though he’s not above making more than a few jokes about swinging genitalia, Haskell Smith does an admirable job of keeping the narrative respectful as he conducts numerous interviews with naked people to find out why they like nudism so much. Its origins are murky: nudism has been a popular pastime since the late 19th century, and Haskell Smith charts its evolution from nudist clubs in the 1920s to the estimated $440 million industry it is today. Haskell Smith visits nudist colonies and nude beaches, embarks on nude hikes, and even takes a nude cruise. What he expected to be salacious quickly becomes boring but ultimately refreshing, from both a physical perspective and an emotional one—over time, everybody’s body issues seem to dissipate. Haskell Smith’s empathy and genuine interest in nudism and its appeal make this account both informative and entertaining. He’s usually laughing with his subjects rather than at them, and the arc of his education on this topic makes for a witty and insightful read. Agent: Mary Evans, Mary Evans Inc. (June)