A Brief History Of Nakedness

Philip Carr-Gomm examines how nudity has been revered, feared, sexualised and weaponised across cultures and eras in this accessible cultural history.

He surveys sacred traditions, political protests, countercultural movements and everyday practices to show how nakedness carries contradictory meanings.

Drawing on examples from classical statuary to modern naturism and activist protests, Carr-Gomm highlights the social, spiritual and psychological dimensions of being unclothed.

The book blends historical research with personal reflection and contemporary reportage, offering both scholarly insight and anecdotal richness.

It aims to prompt readers to rethink cultural assumptions about the body and to consider the liberating and problematic facets of nakedness.