Kama Sutra

One might think a former Penthouse Forum magazine editor would be in over her head when it came to interpreting the sacred Kama Sutra for contemporary lovers. Surprisingly, Anne Hooper has grasped the subtle, but more important, messages of India's traditional love manuals. She discourages readers from focusing on accomplishing distorted poses, as if they were athletic feats. Instead, she has written a compelling commentary that encourages readers to emphasize pressure points, manners, artistic freedom, and most of all finding and pursuing a loving sexual relationship rather than an overly choreographed one. Almost every page is illustrated with tasteful photos of nude lovers demonstrating the many sacred positions, while Hooper's text offers suggestions on how to apply the ancient teachings to contemporary lovemaking. --Gail Hudson