Holy Nature: A Celebration of Naturism in Today's Russia

Rating:
Summary: Great Naturism Book
Review: August 1991, Putsch-time. Mikhail and Galina Rusinov stand defiantly with thousands of other Russians in St. Petersburg and prepare to die under the tracks of tanks. In Moscow, Boris Yeltsin stand defiantly before the tanks as well, and in a great overturning of Russian authority, ousts the "vacationing" Mikhail Gorbachev and with him seventy years of Communist tyranny. "Thank God the tanks did not advance," Mikhail Rusinov remarks, "But, we had to do it. We could not let totalitarian rule return."

Such resolve speaks to the central message of this book. Mikhail Rusinov is a co-founder of The Free Body Culture Society, a remarkable social project with far-reaching implications for the "new" Russia. Aligned with the Green Party, they call themselves Holy Nature, and they have begun to gain international recognition for their efforts to re-integrate the values and mores of an ancient Russian culture (the Rus) into modern life. Based in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), and long considered the intellectual and cultural capital of Russia, the Free Body Culture Society has grown to well over 700 members, with hundreds more joining in spontaneously on sunny days at the clothes-optional beaches.

The Free Body Culture Society began quietly and secretly among 20 or so people, including the current president, Kirill Vasiliev, in the 1970's during the heart of government repression. Despite continuous government harassment, the group expanded dramatically and, by 1983, formally elected Vasiliev. For eight more years, the group continued to attract new members and to expand its activities, all the while under constant surveillance and restraint by the police and the KGB.

In 1991, after the putsch, they were granted official recognition by the newly liberalized regional government. With the support of the local media, word spread and membership grew to the point now, on a sunny June day at Finnish Beach, over 2,000 nude sun bathers can be found participating with the "official" members of the society. With growing numbers at the beaches and a rejuvenated connection St. Petersburg naturists felt with their beaches, lakes and woods, an organized effort to preserve their natural surroundings began and, in 1991, Kiril Vasiliev and Mikhail Rusinov formed the St. Petersburg Green Party, known as Holy Nature. Through his ability to translate Russian and English, along with his extraordinary skills in internet communications, Rusinov and his associates have created an international voice for this burgeoning new group.



Rating:
Summary: Very Nice
Review: Finally, a nudist documentary with intelligent text and great full page color photographs of the people. Reminds me of the Naturist movement in the U.S. in the 50's and 60's -- liberal and idyllic (only this Naturist Movement dates back thousands of years.)

Rating:
Summary: Dissapointed
Review: I can say that I was much interested in russian freedom, but i got dissapointed with this book because its quality in a general sense is really poor, both technically and artistically speaking; so, don't waste your time and money and go for something else!

Rating:
Summary: Better Than Expected
Review: I have to say that based on the cover, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. Well, if you like titles by David Hamilton, Jock Sturges etc. let me assure you will like this book. I see Amazon now carries a DVD called 'Rituals of Summer' that features the people from the book -- I'm ordering it and will write a review under it once viewed.

Rating:
Summary: This is a book about freedom,of mind,body and spirit.
Review: I think all people should see this book and read it.This book is about people being free,real freedom.Its about the connection between ourselves and our earth.Maybe after 200 years some Americans have forgotten what freedom is,we could relearn it from these people.In this book we find beauty,unharnessed,that inherant beauty of all people young and old.Mike Rusinov is a artist and this is his artwork.I think his work rates with all the greats,Sturges,Hamilton,Stanaman etc... I highly recommend this book for those interested in learning about freedom of mind and body.

Rating:
Summary: Slightly disappointing
Review: I was simply disappointed. The photographs are nice. How can you go wrong with photographs of people - especially nudes. Always interesting, always beauty. But if you are drawn to buy this book with any intellectual curiosity regarding Russia, Nudism, aethetics .. I suspect you will be diappointed. There is very little text, very little thought expressed, as is implied in some of their marketing.

Rating:
Summary: EXTREMELY DISSAPPOINTED...
Review: I was so dissappointed that this had a synopsis that it was about "family" nudist in Russia and when it arrived at least I would guess, 98% of it was women and young girls. If thats what you want fine, but if you are seriously interested in the WHOLE family of naturist..........then you will be dissappointed.