At the dawn of photography photographers had no limits. Using the traditional styles employed by past masters in their paintings of the naked human form, the postcards demonstrate that early twentieth-century photographers appreciated and respected the female form, offering more than just mere titillation. Through this book Nigel Sadler explores changes in social attitudes, fashions and technology through the medium of erotic postcards. As demand grew for these postcards the pretence that they were fine art was soon lost and hundreds of thousands of images became available showing women in varying degrees of undress. In Britain these images were illegal and the trade in them was hidden. These cards were often sold 'under the counter' in tobacconists, newsagents and book shops and there were court cases brought against shop owners under obscenity laws. This book looks at the different styles ranging from the partly clad to full nude and the different genre including risque, ethnographic and the developing interest in naturism.

Slavery was illegal in Britain, but the transatlantic slave trade left a physical mark on the UK. There are monuments to philanthropists who made their wealth through slavery, there were houses built from the profits made from slavery, and enslaved labour was used to produce items such as sugar and cotton. Many city landscapes bear the names of those involved or who profited. This book will tell the story of the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade on Britain. Author Nigel Sadler challenges misconceptions of the built British landscape and shows how profits from slavery went into the construction of many iconic buildings. He also explores how freed enslaved Africans left their mark on Britain and how those who opposed slavery, and those in favour of maintaining slavery, are represented in statues throughout the country.