“Birthday suit”, “in the buff”, “wearing nothing but a smile”. On today’s show we’ll explore the progressive-era origins and continuing tensions over what it means to take it all off.

Plus, discovering the secret to happiness has inspired a robust self-help industry and pre-occupied philosophers since the days of Aristotle and Epicurus. Contemporary philosopher Frederic Lenoir shares some practical advice from the world’s great minds.

Listen to the full show

6.7.15: The American Nudist Movement, In Search Of Happiness, & Unexplained Sounds

Naked: A Cultural History of American Nudism

Brian Hoffman is the author of the new book Naked: A Cultural History of American Nudism which takes a look at the American nudism movement from its roots in Germany to its definition as a therapeutic health movement.

Naked: A Cultural History of American Nudism

Baring it All: My First Time at a Nudist Resort

Like many of life’s bold, or uncomfortable, moments, when it comes to nudism, there’s a first time for everything. WNPR producer Chion Wolf visited Solair Family Nudist Resort in Woodstock, Connecticut to fully experience, for the first time, life as a nudist.

You can listen to this story again at PRX.org.

Happiness

One of the many people exploring what it means to be happy is the French philosopher Frederic Lenoir – his new book Happiness: A Philosopher’s Guide isn’t your typical self-help book – but it does contain the optimistic view that lasting happiness is indeed possible.

Happiness

Unexplained Sounds

Unexplained phenomena often involve things we can see but can’t explain. UFO’s, elaborate crop circles, or why do some people think that dress is blue and black when it’s clearly gold and white? (Or vice versa.) But what about the things we can hear but have no explanation for? Producer Logan Shannon spoke with Caitlin Schneider of Mental Floss about some of her favorite sound mysteries.

Related: Mysterious Sounds From the Depths of the Sea to the Sky Overhead

Unexplained Sounds

A Writer Makes the Case Against Grammar Shaming

Andrew Heisel is a writer who knows his grammar, but is not ashamed to admit he still makes mistakes. He wanted to find out why, and wrote for The Washington Post about why out brains make us write not so good. "Stop Shaming People on the Internet for Grammar Mistakes. Its Not There Fault"