The ILLUSTRATED PERFUMED GARDEN

Excellently done. The beautiful erotique and sensual paintings are classic.

Very pleased with purchase. Arrived quickly and well packaged. Item was second hand so shows minor signs of use. I’m fine with that. The book itself is very interesting; of it’s time and culture but still some things are relevant and worth reading today. The pictures are typical of karma sutra type books of the middle eastern variety, in fact I have a small karma sutra book with similar/same pictures. I’m sure the text is a good translation, and it’s just heartbreaking that the author’s wife burned his addendum notes. Funny, witty and full of clever observations, as well as wildly narrow minded, sexist and misogynistic thoughts, it is not in this day and age a text to be taken literally. Women are allowed out of the house now!! But as a historical sex document, interesting and something to learn. The overall idea is that if a man studies sex, is varied, considerate and fun in the bedroom with his wife, he will need only one partner and they’ll both be happy. Not bad! The sexual positions and motions, and descriptions of various anatomies and their names are probably the most fun and what people expect. The pictures and text, I think are unrelated. The stories, are a mixed bag... but as analogies or parables, interesting.

I bought this as a present for a friend. I had read it before..although reading it is less interesting than choosing tales and exploring them as a couple. The illustrations are excellent and well chosen. If you are a historian of the Caliphate with a liking for something more intimate than poetry or politics this is a nice diversion. Recommended.