Sort of an Arabic Kama Sutra
But only 'sort of'. It does cover the physical act of love in some detail. That includes the many poses that couples might try together. It also covers all the lore about what makes a man or woman desirable, and about resizing one's genitals for better performance (larger for him, smaller for her). There's other medical lore, too, including potions for ending an unwanted pregnancy. The most interesting discussion covered techniques suitable when he, she, or both had physical deformities or paraplegia. I guess that the 16th century Arab world lacked modern medicine, so such irregularities were part of everyday life.
This differs from the Indian texts in several important ways. First, this discusses sexuality as an isolated topic. It lacks the Kama Sutra's placement of sex as one among many social graces. Second, it adds a number of brief stories, a la 1001 Nights, to illustrate its teachings, and adds a section on dream interpretation. Third, although the Perfumed Garden attends to women's needs in the bedroom, it displays a generally low regard for women elsewhere.
Still, this book tells us a lot about two times and places. The first is the 16th century Arabic world, as set down by Sheikh al-Nafzawi (the author). This gives a look at the medicine, the culture, and the folklore of that time. It also tells us about Sir Richard Burton's England, in the Victorian era. Like so many other British translations of that time, the English rendering carries the indelible stamp of its translator and of its period. The Burton translation is decidedly aging - modern phrasing and scholarship would make this a much more interesting book. Still, any translation is better than none, and the Victorian flavor is part of this book's character.
There are lots of reasons for reading this book: for its view of mid-Eastern culture, for its view of sexuality, or just for fun. That last is my reason, and it works.
//wiredweird
Entertaining historical oddity
I came across this book at random in a book store, never having heard or seen it before, and spent some time perusing it, reading several of the chapters, so although I haven't read the whole thing, I have some idea of what's it's about. This is basically the Arabic Kama Sutra. The Cheikh obviously intended this book to be useful as a practical manual for any man in his sex life, and, considering it was written in the 16th century, it just goes to show you that not much has changed when it comes to sex. Some of the sections are downright funny, such as the chapter that begins with all the Arabic terms and descriptions for the different personalities or "types of vulvas." They are described in words such as (I forget the Arabic terms, but anyway, the definition is the funny part): "The Hungry One: this is the vulva of a woman who has not had intercourse in a long time. It will not allow you to withdraw until you have entered it again and again." Other names translate as "the great one," and "the playful one." There are other even funnier descriptions, which I don't recall right now, but anyway, this will give you some idea of what they're like. Anyway, this book is entertaining if only for some of the choicer sections such as the above.
Any Person's Wake Up
A highly erotic, exotic and curious manuel written in the 16th century is the Perfumed Garden of the Cheikh Nefzaoui. This book was reccomended to me in the readings of Aleister Crowley on one of his many discourses on sexual magic. The purpose of the Perfumed Garden is to inform the individual of "proper" sexual practice, the wheres and whens and know-hows and know-whos. Describing all sorts of positions (and the author comments that the reader is welcome to make up their own), to the different sizes and shapes of the male and female genitals (amazon forbids me to say those dirty nasty words). In almost each instance, the author gives a story in how to seduce a woman and what to do with her once you have. When not to fornicate and what to consider once you have. The book does have a male bias, as it is written from a male point of view, and being that of the Arabian society, men were the seekers or the hunters while women were the focus. It would appear that women have less of an option in many cases, however, there is respect given to the women as they dont neccesarily have to "give it up" when a man wants her, but rather the man has to "win" her over. It is the womans job to look as beautiful as she can (personality not included). Sadly, at least, being a male I like to think it sad, that the author does give the message that any male ample enough in their virility to make a womans eyes pop out of her head and their jaws drop to their knees can win any women. Yet, the Perfumed Garden does not by any means neglect technique, which as modern day sexologists would agree is primary for any sexual compatability from both sides of the court to exist harmoniously. A good companion to the Karma Sutra, the well known Hindu Manuel of Erotology. I enjoyed the book purely for the erotica involved, which I found completely stimulating in all areas of the body. I also found it curious and practical in many ways that it can spice anyones life, as well as make one think about size; length, width and depth...and of course, their compatability.
An Erotic Classic -- But Still Kind of Dull
I was surprised to find this book on the shelf of books recommended for high-school students at my local bookstore, but the subject intrigued me, so I decided to take a chance on it. Like all decent sex manuals, it gives good advice in many matters -- foreplay, treating one's partner with respect, and so forth, but often lacks the detail necessary for one who actually needs the advice in the first place to follow. And like most sex manuals, the people who need it the most are the ones who will be the least likely to bother with it. There is a long catalog of various names of the sex organs of both males and females which was half-amusing, half-tedious. Suffice to say that they are not all that different from the ones in use today. Also, certain idiotic misconceptions abound, which will probably not be helpful to most people -- that in order to satisfy a woman, for example, a man should be rich and have a penis roughly a foot long. Also, certain cultural assumptions are made which may strike some readers as odd, but which in fact are very telling -- for example, in the period and location when this book was written, fat women were considered very erotic. Hearing a man tall about how he adores his wife's double-chin is rather amusing (in this sense it makes a good introductory study towards ideals of beauty as one finds in Wolf's "The Beauty Myth"), and lets one see that contemporary idea of beauty are not by any means universal. Another interesting aspect of the book was the notion that sex is an important and decent part of one's life as it is given one by god. The author was obviously Islamic and this shows over and over again, but unlike in Christian writings of the same period, sex is portrayed as something beautiful to be shared as a gift from heaven and not as a "dirty secret". This is really quite refreshing -- in the west, we still suffer from this lamentable malady today. The Sheik also takes it for granted that women enjoy sex as much as men, and places a strong emphasis on female satisfaction; something that only recently has become fashionable. On the negative side, the chapters on beastiality and tribadism were left out in Burton's translation -- necessary considering the time in which he lived, but an omission which nevertheless leaves the book incomplete. As a study in cultural values, it is quite interesting, as a sex manual, it is obviously dated and could use much improvement -- modern ones are much better. Depending on what you are looking for, it may be an interesting read, but still comes across as rather dull; it won't replace the Kama Sutra anytime soon.
The Perfumed Garden of the Cheikh Nefzaoui
Cheikh Nefzaoui wrote this book for men so that they might have sucessful coition with their wife(ves) so that the act of generation as presented in this book is God as ordained...beautiful.Instructions on sucessful seduction, excitation, and stimulation of every womanly body part is described with prose and poetry, and explicitly sexy stories.
My personal favorites were the numerous and sundry names of the male and female parts; and the instructions and recipies on how to make a male member splendid!
The author also provided the Arabian names and terminology for the act of generation as well as the various names of the male and female parts. He also shares the beauty of the Arabian culture in every opening sentence of each chapter as well as some idealogy from the Mussulmans. The original manuscript was translated by four French officers and later translated by Sir Richard F. Burton and much of the original context has been lost, with that in mind I still found the book to be full of beauty and grace.
This is the most sexy and erotic book I have read in a while. A book that I found incrediably enjoyable reading and shadows this book is a romatic fiction "The Tutor," by Robin Schone.
