The Pop-Up Kama Sutra: Six Paper-Engineered Variations

by Mallanaga Vātsyāyana, Richard Francis Burton (Translator), F.F. Arbuthnot (Translator)

What do you get when you combine the classic, almost 2,000-year-old Indian treatise on the art of love with the most up-to-date paper-engineering techniques? The Pop-Up Kama Sutra!This lively distillation of the world's most famous sex guide features choice excerpts from the original text, translated in 1883 by the renowned explorer Sir Richard Burton, and is illustrated with vintage color plates from India. Best of all, six incredible pop-ups present the Kama Sutra's most interesting, instructive, and wildly acrobatic positions in three dimensions. More Bollywood than museum piece, this fun gift book adds a new dimension to the literature of lust and romance.

Author Bio: Sir Richard Burton (1821 1890) was an English explorer and author of 43 volumes about his adventures. While working for the East India company, he was stationed in India where he acquired a thorough knowledge of the Persian, Afghan, Hindustani, and Arabic languages. This enabled him to publish the first English translation of the Kama Sutra as well as a complete translation of the Arabian Nights, for which he is best known.

Genres: Art

48 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2003

About the author

Vātsyāyana is the name of a Hindu philosopher in the Vedic tradition who is believed to have lived around 3rd century CE in India. His name appears as the author of the Kama Sutra and of Nyāya Sutra Bhāshya, the first commentary on Gotama's Nyāya Sutras.

Hardly anything is known about him, although it is believed that his disciples went on his instructions, on the request of the Hindu Kings in the Himalayan range to influence the hill tribals to give up the pagan cult of sacrifices. He is said to have created the legend of Tara among the hill tribes as a tantric goddess. Later as the worship spread to the east Garo hills,the goddess manifest of a 'yoni' goddess Kamakhya was created. His interest in human sexual behavior as a medium of attaining spirituality was recorded in his treatise Kama Sutra.

At the close of the Kama Sutra this is what he writes about himself:

"After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his Dharma (virtue or religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person attending to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do."

Reviews

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2! The Pop-Up Kama Sutra. An erotic pop-up book based on the mythical guide to fucking & cuming!

“Though a woman is reserved and keeps her feelings concealed, yet when she gets on top of a man. she then shows all her love and desire.”

The Pop-Up Kama Sutra is a hardcover EROTIC pop-up book.

Ten chapters outlining the Kama Sutra’s (hi)story and featuring choice excerpts from the classic 2000-year old work known as a sexual manual, but also seen as a guide to living.

Story-telling and instructions are enhanced with vintage Indian illustrations of sexual nature, some of which are made into erotic pop up art. A variety of topics ranging from sexual positions to courting, kissing, biting, love, oral sex and even arguing and striking.

All images are erotic depicting a variety of sexual positions; There are cocks entering vaginas, finger-fucking and oral sex. Are they explicit? Yes, but the old-fashioned drawing technique makes them artistic rather than explicit.

Beautifully assembled and decorated. Maybe not a coffee-table book, but an excellent gift for a friend who frequents the erotic section of Goodreads. I feel it was worth the $25 price tag.

***
Illustrations: ★★★★★
Pop-up art: ★★★★1/2
Content: ★★★★
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OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Purchase: | AMZ US | AMZ UK |

[Nara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book, and some of the pop-ups are quite lovely and even ingeniously constructed. However, it's not the full Kama Sutra, I don't think - it appears to be heavily abridged (my back is out so I can't go get it and check, but I seem to remember missing a few of my favorite bits). Still, it's an excellent addition to my "weird porn" collection.

[to je · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought was a manual at first glance, but then realized that it's a law cuz such in detail.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of text instead of instructional photos. But the interactive pop-ups aid in that area. Beautifully done and well constructed pop-ups...except the first one in my used copy is broken. :( Expect to learn some Indian culture.