Kama Sutra: (Classics Deluxe Edition) (Penguin Classics Deluxe Editio) [Paperback]

Vatsyayana (Author), Malika Favre (Illustrator), A. N. D. Haksar (Translator)

Book Description

Release date: January 31, 2012 | Series: Penguin Classics Deluxe Editio

A gorgeous deluxe edition of the world's most celebrated guide to life, love, relationships and pleasure.

Little is known about Vatsyayana, who is reputed to have composed the Kama Sutra "while observing a celibate's life in full meditation." In Sanskrit the word "kama" means desire, especially for sensual pleasure, and its proper pursuit was considered an essential part of a young, urbane gentleman's well-rounded education.

Untold numbers of readers are curious about the Kama Sutra but put off by its clichéd image as an erotic Oriental curiosity. This elegant edition offers a compelling modern translation of a classic Indian masterpiece-and a wry and entertaining account of human desire and foibles.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This clear and elegant new translation is the work of A. N. D. Haksar, a former Indian diplomat and a well-known translator of Sanskrit classics. It’s worth attending to, and not merely because Valentine’s Day is nearly here, and your partner might find this sleek new Penguin Classics edition an intellectual aphrodisiac, though it contains no erotic illustrations, except several sublime ones on its cover. (For a certain audience, all Penguin Classics are trance-inducing objects of lust.)"

(Dwight Garner, The New York Times )

About the Author

Vatsyayana's given name was Mallanaga and he was most likely from the Madhya Desha, once India's cultural heartland. He lives sometime between the first and third centuries.
A.N.D. Haksar is a well-known translator of Sanskrit classics, many of which have been published by Penguin Classics.
Malika Favre is a French graphic designer and illustrator based in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics; Deluxe edition (January 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143106597
• ISBN-13: 978-0143106593
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #549,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #97 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Indian

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars comparative March 15, 2012

By Burt Thorp

Format:Paperback

Comparing this Haskar translation from Penguin with the earlier Oxford (2002) translation by Doniger & Kakar: I prefer the Doniger version because it more scholarly with lots of interesting notes, some translated from Sanskrit commentaries, and a good introduction. Both translations are readable, though Haskar has a slight habit of using older diction, such as "abode" and "sexual union" (instead of Doniger's "sex") or "gentleman" instead of "man-about-town." (Of course, this does bring to mind GQ, a good target for his book!) Haskar's introduction briefly discusses the rationale for his translation method: "literary" rather than "literal." The Kama Sutra is not so much a sex manual as it is a source for understanding (male and youth) urban lifestyle at a period in ancient India.

24 of 32 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not illustrated February 14, 2012

By Eliot

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

"A gorgeous deluxe edition" The cover certainly is, but that's the only place you'll find Malika Favre's lovely work. This book is not illustrated.