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The Illustrated Kama Sutra

By: Mallanaga Vatsyayana
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Hamlyn
ISBN: 0600590976
ISBN-13: 9780600590972
Released: 15 May 1996
RRP: £14.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

An interesting read, but there are better versions. - By: , 05 Mar 1999
I mainly enjoyed this book, although it did abridge quite a lot of the original text. I found the articles on the other two translated "love-texts" very informative, although they overshadowed the main reason I bought this book - to read the Kama Sutra. Having read a friend's pocket version, the Burton version even abridged some of the basics as described in the pocket translation.

The emphasis appeared to be on the translation, not the interpretation, and, although the final half of the original text is basicallly a sex manual, the revelations are treated scantily, with very little advice and, in some areas, a very "dodgy" translation.

Burton's footnotes do interject a little humour but, as far as the Kama Sutra goes, this is not the best translation of the Kama Sutra I've ever seen. The other two translations of lesser-known love-texts are very informative, but again rather lacking in depth. The account of Burton's life is the most colourful & intriguing segment of the book - but unfortunately, as an introduction, it sets the precident which is not reallly lived up to.

In terms of understanding the text itself, I would recommend 'The Complete Kama Sutra: The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text' by Alain Danielou.

For those of you expecting a more "informative" read, then I would recommend 'Anne Hooper's "Kama Sutra"' over this version. It is interesting but these two texts are far superior!