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The Revised Kama Sutra
The Revised Kama Sutra , published in ten countries by publishers such as Viking Penguin, Fourth Estate, HarperCollins, and Deuticke, is not a revision of The Kama Sutra (large sections of it have nothing to do with sex), but a complex, multifaceted novel. Kurt Vonnegut described it as "very funny", while The Lonely Planet Guide to South India described it as being "irreverent . . . leaves you with a lasting insight into the life of Mangalore and other South Indian cities." Publishers Weekly says that its "indefatigable good humor transcends the personal to stand for the contradictions and struggles of India as a whole."
The book's multiple themes include colonialism, childhood, growing up, East and West, puberty, Catholicism in India, the nature of desire, and the comedy of sex in a repressed culture (the experiences of Catholicism and puberty transcend borders); and, though no summary can do justice to the book itself, here's a capsule
Growing up in post-Independence India in a middle-class family and transported to a boarding school until liberated, Vijay Prabhu, at 16, find himself suddenly inspired by Western success books, Bertrand Russell, and Saul Bellow. Overcoming his brainwashing by nuns and Jesuits, he drops his plans for sainthood and decides to become a successful writer and lover of women. This ambitious plan runs into obstacles when, for the next six years, his cherry proves amazingly resistant to repeated assaults, and yields only at Age 22 to a Nepali doctor of love. There are further obstacles to his dream, which has grown in complexity, and part of which is to be realized in America.
In this widely praised novel, A Confederacy of Dunces and David Copperfield meet Catcher in the Rye and Portnoy's Complaint . This comic novel of childhood, coming of age, of modern Indian manhood, and an American Dream was described as "very funny" by Kurt Vonnegut, "humorous and manic" by The Independent of London, and "personifies the post-Indpendence Indian male" by Masala Magazine. It has been published by major publishers in ten different countries.
The book's multiple themes include colonialism, childhood, growing up, East and West, puberty, Catholicism in India, the nature of desire, and the comedy of sex in a repressed culture (the experiences of Catholicism and puberty transcend borders); and, though no summary can do justice to the book itself, here's a capsule
Growing up in post-Independence India in a middle-class family and transported to a boarding school until liberated, Vijay Prabhu, at 16, find himself suddenly inspired by Western success books, Bertrand Russell, and Saul Bellow. Overcoming his brainwashing by nuns and Jesuits, he drops his plans for sainthood and decides to become a successful writer and lover of women. This ambitious plan runs into obstacles when, for the next six years, his cherry proves amazingly resistant to repeated assaults, and yields only at Age 22 to a Nepali doctor of love. There are further obstacles to his dream, which has grown in complexity, and part of which is to be realized in America.
In this widely praised novel, A Confederacy of Dunces and David Copperfield meet Catcher in the Rye and Portnoy's Complaint . This comic novel of childhood, coming of age, of modern Indian manhood, and an American Dream was described as "very funny" by Kurt Vonnegut, "humorous and manic" by The Independent of London, and "personifies the post-Indpendence Indian male" by Masala Magazine. It has been published by major publishers in ten different countries.
333 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1993
5 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Richard Crasta
55 books21 followersRichard Crasta is the author of 12+ books (not 62 books or so, as shown by Goodreads--the author was simply trying out new titles for the same book, or launched a trial balloon book, then unpublished it; so most of the listed books don't exist). Crasta's novel of childhood and coming of age, "The Revised Kama Sutra," was described as "very funny" by Kurt Vonnegut and was published in 10 countries and in 7 languages. It has also been consistently been part of the recommended reading list in Lonely Planet's guides to India, at first, and then in the Lonely Planet Guide to South India.
Crasta's books include fiction, nonfiction, essays, autobiography (including books on fatherhood, publishing, and the lives of men), humor, and satire (3 of these under the pen name of Benny Profane). Throughout his literary career, he has been driven by a passion for freedom, self-expression, and resistance to colonialism and censorship, including that indirect form of censorship known as ethnic pigeonholing or literary apartheid. His books include "The Revised Kama Sutra," "Impressing the Whites," "The Killing of an Author," (the three books that comprise his Freedom Trilogy), and "What We All Need." They have been described as "going where no Indian writer has gone before," and try to present an unedited, uncensored self and view of the world.
Richard Crasta has traveled widely, and though his publishing imprint, Invisible Man Press, is located in New York, he now spends his time in Asia, working on seven books in progress.
Crasta's books include fiction, nonfiction, essays, autobiography (including books on fatherhood, publishing, and the lives of men), humor, and satire (3 of these under the pen name of Benny Profane). Throughout his literary career, he has been driven by a passion for freedom, self-expression, and resistance to colonialism and censorship, including that indirect form of censorship known as ethnic pigeonholing or literary apartheid. His books include "The Revised Kama Sutra," "Impressing the Whites," "The Killing of an Author," (the three books that comprise his Freedom Trilogy), and "What We All Need." They have been described as "going where no Indian writer has gone before," and try to present an unedited, uncensored self and view of the world.
Richard Crasta has traveled widely, and though his publishing imprint, Invisible Man Press, is located in New York, he now spends his time in Asia, working on seven books in progress.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 28, 2017
This book is a disaster except for the part where the protagonist is in college. I am sorry but the beginning of the pages are simply amazing to read and once the actually story began, I was like what the hell. It starts off with him being just about 5 years old ( god knows why?). Maybe just to show off his interest in his mother, as to prove " look i am so brave that i can talk about incest". Where terms like "fuck" and "sex" is overly used to bring comical effect. The story just keeps on dragging for no reason and with no proper direction. He explains his whole childhood story, i mean come on man! could have just summed up in a page or two. It starts to get interesting when the protagonist is around 14 which starts off after 150 pgs deep (should have started the book form here). Basically, more than sex, it's bitching about how India is a shit country, and wished he were born in US and how their parents are total wackos, and expressing a lot of frustration. The book does not do any justice to any mentioned characters, as their is not a lot of opportunity given to build themselves upon anything. The protagonist really needed a fucking childhood friend who would be with thick and thins of his problems and I don't know help him figure his stuff out. You will not care to remember any characters names as they just enter the book quickly and exit out of the fucking book at the same sentence they were introduced. The author must be bored to hell writing this book, and people who critiqued him and are on the book must be merciful towards him. I thought this book must be lot of fun and felt like that too when I started out at early pages, but boy was I wrong. As the protagonist is a narcissist self centered bastard, where readers can never relate to themselves with him. Definitely not recommending this book if you think this is comedy or fun, unless people outside India want to really take a look at and get a feel of a frustrated, sex driven Indian commoner. 333 pages of just rubbish, and some reviewer told this book will be one of the classics, "YA RIGHT!!".
January 10, 2015
Rich as chocolate cake
The plot of this book is more than just the trials and tribulations of a South Indian entangled in the mesh of cultural conflict. It is a statement that illustrates the confusion that persists to this day in a world that has been overwhelmed by western culture. Lyrical and sharp-witted, it is not a book to rush through, but to savor, as almost every paragraph is as rich as a slice of chocolate cake. The wordplay never relents, and lines like "...a good hard man, if not hard to find, was at least pretty good to find" and, when the narrator tells of his experiences in body building declares, "Thus began my bodyssey", is akin to the play on words found in John Lennon's 'A Spaniard in the Works'. In short, if you love the possibilities of the English language, you'll love this book.
The plot of this book is more than just the trials and tribulations of a South Indian entangled in the mesh of cultural conflict. It is a statement that illustrates the confusion that persists to this day in a world that has been overwhelmed by western culture. Lyrical and sharp-witted, it is not a book to rush through, but to savor, as almost every paragraph is as rich as a slice of chocolate cake. The wordplay never relents, and lines like "...a good hard man, if not hard to find, was at least pretty good to find" and, when the narrator tells of his experiences in body building declares, "Thus began my bodyssey", is akin to the play on words found in John Lennon's 'A Spaniard in the Works'. In short, if you love the possibilities of the English language, you'll love this book.
July 15, 2018
I enjoyed this novel for its dark humour and satirical tone. The story is almost half a century old now, but conditions haven't changed much in India (sadly). So, it is still a good read for any Indians. Just four stars because the novel loses steam after half way.
August 20, 2013
Another book from the dark comedy genre. I quite liked the description of Vijay Prabhu's life in Mangalore and how he dealt with his family, culture while growing up. There were bits and pieces where I was put off by the bold description of sex and private parts but then again thats what one should be expecting in a book that is named " The Revised Kama Sutra"... I particularly liked the last two chapters. They were quite philosophical and I could relate to it. Overall , this is a well written fun book
July 2, 2013
Whats in a name?? Well, for one thing, it can help you sell a totally rubbish and stupid book, which otherwise wouldn't even have been purchased by the authors wife, even for free!! This is one of those book, where the author tries to be smart, but ends being bugging!
July 5, 2014
The Bible I never had! Enthralling read from start to finish!
Especially fun to read as I myself am from Mangalore, the hometown of the author - where most of the book is based. This book is a window to the real India that few dare speak about. Kudos Richard Crasta!
Especially fun to read as I myself am from Mangalore, the hometown of the author - where most of the book is based. This book is a window to the real India that few dare speak about. Kudos Richard Crasta!
Currently reading
January 6, 2011I love this book. It describes exactly my life since birth. The parallels are striking.
March 27, 2012
Not actually reading this book, but the kindle edition by the same author called "The Whole World in His Pants" since goodreads doesn't have that book on here, I decided to mark this one.
October 4, 2013
It strikes the pun on Kama sutra word
Too hilarious to be read in front of someone
Too hilarious to be read in front of someone
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews