This coming Thursday, the Tempest Book Shop might a larger crowd than normal – or at least, a crowd that veers away from the booksigning norm. That’s because, as the Boston Globe reports, the Waitsfield, Vermont-based store will be hosting Jim Cunningham, author of NUDITY AND CHRISTIANITY, in a “clothing-optional” event. In other words, customers are invited to leave their clothes at the door.
“The reason for this is to ‘put our bodies where our mouths are,’ living what we preach,” Cunningham said. “The public are invited to express their solidarity with our message by also donning their birthday suits upon entering the book store.” The event, which includes refreshments, socializing and a 10-minute talk, is scheduled for 6 p.m., after which the crowd is invited to go to dinner at a local restaurant, still to be decided. And there are rules: Everyone who plans to strip must bring a towel, and there’s no gawking. And even though the store doesn’t expect too many folks to show up, Cunningham states on his website that this is all part of the “Vermont Naturist Tour 2007”, slated to end on July 15. The great irony? NUDITY AND CHRISTIANITY is text-only, all 596 pages of it.