Leisure and Pleasure

Download or read book Leisure and Pleasure written by Caroline Daley and published by Auckland University Press. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This exploration of an unexpected aspect of New Zealand social history examines the human body at leisure in the years 1900&–1960. This book studies bodybuilding, especially the famous strongman Eugen Sandow; growing ideas about fitness, health, and exercise; the rise of beauty contests; the culture of the beach and the pool; nudism; and children's play and the appearance of playgrounds. The central aim is to explore how bodies—men's, women's and children's—were shaped and displayed through various leisure pursuits in 20th-century New Zealand.