Title: The Outdoor Kama Sutra: A Photographic Guide to Bringing Passionate Lovemaking Out of the Bedroom and Into the Great Outdoors Author: Michelle Pauli Publisher: Quiver Publish Date: 2006 Pages: 128 Genres:: How-To Guide, Non-Fiction, Straight Reviewer: J. Arathoon

Rating:

Although the earthy tone of The Outdoor Kama Sutra will appeal to some, this how-to guide suffers from a lack of focus. The overarching theme of the book can be found in the first two pages, and is also a good test of whether you will enjoy the writing throughout: “At its finest, lovemaking in a natural setting is a truly transcendent experience in which you touch something deeper in yourself and in your relationship. You tap in to the greater cosmic cycle of the universe—of sex, birth, death, and rebirth—and return to ‘the source’ itself.”

The book is a full-color photographic guide to enjoying the sensual arts presented in the Kama Sutra while also enjoying nature. The first third of the guide touches on many aspects of outdoor lovemaking, from spontaneous encounters while out in the wilderness all the way to garden exploration or even just bringing a touch of the outdoors into your home. It starts with finding inspiration in the four elements, and includes many “scenarios” to get you in the right mood; these scenarios suggest encounters in which, for example, “Fired-up for love, the blanket slides away and you make love in the flickering light, feeling like primeval man and woman.”

This first third is the only section, however, that has the outdoor aspect as its main focus, and the advice never really goes beyond common sense; for example, the page on “choosing your setting” simply recommends that you “know what to do if you meet with a bear,” and to “check for problem vegetation such as poison ivy,” but doesn’t give any specific recommendations for what to do when actually confronted with dangerous animals or plants. Some of the advice is good, though, especially when they note that “condoms can kill wildlife, so wrap them up and dispose of them at home.”

The rest of the guide generally focuses on the different positions in the Kama Sutra. The pictures are taken outdoors or amidst a veritable landslide of different saris (“A tantalizing game of hide and seek amongst lengths of billowing fabric allows you to discover each other and feel the sensation of the gentle breeze on your skin,” advises the author), but apart from mentioning that some could be done on “a garden table” or “in a hammock,” mostly the outdoor aspect is forgotten in the text.

The photographs are fairly soft-core; there’s some frontal shots and a couple oral pictures, but generally everything is quite discrete. They use the same two models throughout, and though the pictures are occasionally awkward or unintentionally humorous, they do provide helpful examples of how each position is conducted—particularly useful in moves that require several stages and some maneuvering. The text has a nice balance of focusing on making sure both partners are pleasured equally.

In short, if you have a real jones for outdoor lovemaking, and the thought of playing hide and seek amidst lengths of billowing fabric appeals to you, this might be a book to add to your collection; but if you’re looking for sensible, straightforward advice on the practical aspects of sex outside the house, this probably isn’t it.