A rare look at nudist history’s global roots

Carl Hild presents new research and a long-awaited translation in The Naturist Society Foundation’s Exploring Nudist Culture series

Tonight, Planet Nude contributor Carl Hild, PhD joins Mark Storey for The Naturist Society Foundation’s ongoing Exploring Nudist Culture series, a members-only Zoom program focused on nudist history, culture, and ideas. Storey, a longtime N magazine editor and TNSF consulting editor, hosts the series.

The session begins at 6 p.m. Pacific / 9 p.m. Eastern. TNSF members can request the Zoom invite here: https://naturistsociety.com/event/enc-202604/

Dr. Hild’s talk centers on New Life in Europe (1931), a rare Chinese-language book by diplomat Timothy M. Wang that Hild has had translated into English for the first time—and expanded into a new edition titled Birthright Bodily Freedom: Portrayal of the New Life of Europeans, alongside new research on social nakedness in Asia and the deeper prehistory of nudism before the German movement’s well-documented rise.

This work reflects Hild’s broader focus as a historian of early nudism, tracing overlooked origins and global threads that reshape how the movement is understood. The translation and accompanying research have been several years in the making, and this presentation offers one of the first public looks at that effort. If you’re interested in nudist history, Carl’s work—and especially this new book—is one to watch.

And if you’re not already a TNSF member, sign up! This event alone is probably worth joining, though the organization is well worth supporting for many other reasons. 🪐

Carl Hild holds up his new book with friend Lora Boswell | Courtesy of Carl