कामसूत्र
1883
- sex customs
- love
- sexual intercourse
- sex
- early works to 1800
- erotic art
- erotic literature
- indic erotic literature
- sanskrit erotic literature
- sex instruction
The story
A work of philosophy, psychology, sociology, Hindu dogma, scientific inquiry, and sexology, the "Kama Sutra" has been a classic of world literature for more than 1700 years.
What it’s like
Dry, formal and oddly calm on the page, it reads as short numbered aphorisms, each followed by a commentator's patient gloss, so the rhythm is that of a scholar's desk under a single lamp rather than a story. The texture is classificatory and encyclopedic, with lists of types, temperaments and seasons set down in the same measured tone as rules for household management or the conduct of a citizen. Its vibe is studious, unhurried and matter-of-fact, suited to a quiet afternoon with tea, a library carrel, or a slow reading over several weeks rather than a single sitting. Sexual matters are discussed frankly and in detail, but as instruction and philosophy in an academic register rather than an erotic one. There is no violence and little drama, and the emotional temperature stays cool and analytical, though its treatment of courtship, companionship and social obligation gives it a humane undertone. Readers interested in the history of ideas, classical Indian thought, or how an ancient society organised desire and marriage will find it most rewarding; those wanting romance or narrative warmth will not.
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