The Arts of Seduction

by Seema Anand

The Arts of Seduction is a guide to having great sex in the twenty-first century. It seeks to make what has been largely reduced to an act of instant gratification a rather more pleasurable experience. Drawing inspiration from the Kama Sutra, whose groundbreaking attitudes towards sex remain relevant thousands of years after it was first composed, the book delves into numerous techniques and refinements that elevate sex to an altogether different level—whether it is innovative codes for love messages, the effects of applying perfume to different parts of the body, the many different types of kissing, where and how to massage your lover’s feet or what kind of jewellery to wear during lovemaking.
Accessible, sensuous and full of surprises, The Arts of Seduction will forever change the way you think about love and lovemaking.

Genres: Sexuality, Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Spirituality, History, Art

208 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2018

Reviews

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As Vatsyayan says, seduction is not an 'event' - it is not about 'doing' it for your partner, nor is it the exclusive property of people in relationships - seduction is for yourself, it should be a state of mind. Something that puts a spring in your step, a lilt in your voice and the fun into sex."
- Introduction, The Arts of Seduction

Seema Anand's TEDx talk on "The art of seduction" enamored me from the first time I watched it. It wasn't just her content - it was her - her personality, her body language, the way words trickle out of her - it was everything and more. And when I came to know that her book is out, I couldn't have held my excitement and yearning for it. And then fate conjured and I won her book in a giveaway.

The Arts of Seduction is a very interesting and informative read. It simplifies the inaccessible Kama Sutra and gives it a modern touch after the end of every chapter through its "My Advice" section. It has historical, literary and health tidbits that helped me in understanding our reality a little more. This book opens up the whole arena of hushed down topic of sex and what goes into it. This is a book that I feel everyone should have a copy of, because how else are we going to survive in this world if it's not for love?

[Elsa Rajan Pradhananga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outdated. Seema Anand is a phenomenal story teller and her words usually leave me longing for more. So when i picked this book, techniques wasn't really what i was hoping to read.

[Kushagra Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art of Seduction

Seema Anand whose TEDx talk on the same title captured the imagination and intrigue of so many people doesn’t disappoint with her debut book. Years back I’d tried to dabble with the Kamasutra and honestly, couldn’t take out much out of it. This book does well to simplify the ancient Indian text on erotica. I believe should be handy for any couple looking to spice up their private life or for a curious student like me of the subject. Recommended.

[Chetan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seema Anand has written a comprehensive guide on the most popular aspects of the Kama Sutra, namely the physical and intellectual. Sharing the history and the richness of Indian culture from the viewpoint of sex.

A modern version of a 1500-year-old sophisticated sexual dialogue.

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sex!

The utterance of the very word has become a sort of taboo in our society. From being the land that gave the world the Kama Sutra and the Khajuraho, we have all become prim and perverted. So much so that even when the word ‘Sex’ is found on an official form, we prefer to term it as ‘gender’ instead of using ‘the other word’. While the reasons for such a drastic shift in sentiments deserve a book on their own, a gentle reminder of our ancient, less prudish past is something that has long been due. This book is one such a positive step in that direction.

What Ms. Seema Anand tries to do in this book is to distill the essence of Kama Sutra and present it in a more practical form. I must say that she succeeds to a large extent. This book is sort of primer to that erotique sans pareil - Kama Sutra. Cutting all those lengthy depictions and stringent syllabi, the author has succeeded to a large extent in keeping the poetic nature of the work alive. Kudos to that!

One glaring error in the whole of the book is, while depicting the weird habit of the Maharaja of Patiala, Ms. Seema mentions Mr. Natwar Singh as the author of ‘Freedom at Midnight’. To my humble knowledge, Mr. Natwar Singh hasn’t written any such book. The subject though could have been a part of his other book ‘The Magnificent Maharaja’. In a book that is written with much meticulous research on ancient manuscripts, this error stands out like a sore thumb. Otherwise a neat job though.

To summarize, Kama Sutra was the work that stripped away (pun intended) the vulgarity and obscenity from sex and presented it for what it is – an act of extreme pleasure when approached aesthetically. This book by Seema Anand is a gentle reminder to that lost treasure which is now only read in secret. A decent read!

[Virginia Cornelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read , cu cateva sfaturi pe care mi le am însușit. In rest, cred ca se potriveste mai bine oamenilor din cultura indiana.

[Moushmi Radhanpara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Seduction by Seema Anand portrays a different outlook towards sex and makes it phenomenal instead of the overall and instant gratification that it has come to mean in todays world.

The book is rather sensual in an overall approach towards making sex itself sensuous and talk-able instead of shying away from the subject. It speaks of various means ways of approaching the lover and how to maintain the spark in a relationship, not forgetting that physical intimacy is just as important as emotional intimacy. Busting the myth of the most talked of text, The Kamasutra, this book highlights the actuality thay the text speaks instead of just different positions and evenly distributes power on both the sexes. What is more revolutionary is, contrary to the belief, I find it is women who rather holds the power instead of the other way round. The sixty four arts that she further explains only deepens our understanding of sex and pleasure.

Seema Anand turns the meaning of sex from mere seconds of gratification to a lasting emotional connectivity and the whole sensuous act of it enhances the experience and breaks monotony. Revolutionary, recommended, and absolutely a must read with an open mind to remove the taboo and alter your love lives for good.

[Rahul Sen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited to read the book, especially after watching the author's videos on YouTube. However, the book has left me disappointed. For someone who has read the KamaSutra, this seems like a mere retelling/paraphrasing of Vatsayana's text. What Seema Anand has done, is that, she has re-contextualized some of the things to make KamaSutra seem more relevant in the 21st Century. However, the one thing I really did not like about the book: the author makes very loosed, unsubstantiated claims about other theorists of pleasure. For instance, there is a place where the author writes, "Freud claims that women can't derive pleasure on their own and must rely on a man" which is just factually incorrect. Overall, it is an entertaining read and deserves a two-star rating.

[Harsh Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty basic and introductory stuff. Expected a lot more from her.

[Kundan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good for the most part but can't give it a full 4 stars because of the Hinduphobic Imperialist propaganda she sneaks in to the book: for example, she made false equivalency between Kautilya and Machiavillie - lol no. Those are two completely different people and it's extremely Hinduphobic to make that claim. Machiavillie was an Imperialist manipulative trickster whereas Kautilya AKA Chanakya was an Indigenous king maker defending his Indigenous lands from foreign invaders, Colonizers and Imperialists.

Also: most of her sources are White transistors including a known Hinduphobe Wendy Doniger which is so disappointing.. That's why I don't believe all her claims.

But it does a good job of debunking Western fetishisizing of our Kama Sutra because it's about more than just sex positions. Ok? That's literally one chapter and one skill out of 64 chapters and 64 skills.

She does a good Job of showing how sophisticated and amazing our lovemaking skils and our love life was...it show we really had good sex. And that can only happen in an equitable society in peace and prosperity because it requires a lot time which we Hindus had plenty of because we had one thousand years of peace and prosperity as we didn't waste our time, energy and resources fighting expansionist wars.

Indeed one White female member of my book club said, "Wow they had a lot of time on their hands " Well of course we did! Lol 😂 Because we had a thousand years of peace and prosperity between the Greek invasion and Islamic colonization.

[Sunita · Rating 4 out of 5]

She says, " nothing kills a relationship like the dreariness of deep-set monotomy."

Who doesn't want a little more to add onto everything we already have. This is what this book is all about. All set to give a little spark to the seductress or " male temptress", that was hidden behind all those layers.

This book happened for me because one day I heard her talk and saw the way she explained things. I think a lot of you have already seen the Ted talk by Seema mam. And then I read the book and I fell in love with the beautiful poetic writing style of her.
Its like her thoughts were the seeds that blossomed beautifully into the words of this book.

Tbh, i skipped a few chapters because they didn't grab my attention like the others but the first one is my favourite 'the art of perfuming'. I love perfumes and scented candles and natural oils, so yeah, it was interesting for me.

It was a fun read, tbh, and hope more fun to try... *wink*

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it both for this history and anthropology, and for the modern updates and advice in each chapter. Very spicy 😜

[Srav · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second book out of twenty books of 2020.

Seema Anand, what can I say?

I stumbled across this book after finding her TedX talk online and being absolutely mesmerized by her elegance and grace and knowledge. I think we are all somewhat interested in wanting to know about ancient sex practices and why Indian culture- which was so progressive in its past- is so taboo about sex now. To anyone who is curious, this is the book you want to read.

Each chapter is a beautiful blend of ancient practices, dreamy romances, and secret codes about the importance of shringaara in our past. It drives me crazy sometimes knowing that I could have been alive during a time that placed so much importance on shringaara and elegance and beauty. Just the intricate art of perfumery during the time shows to me that life was lived as a luxury back then. But, the best part of this book is Seema Anand's intricate suggestions at the end of each chapter. Rather than just letting us pine of a time when romance was so important, Seema Anand reminds us that romance is still important and we can definitely modernize our practices from the past and still be elegant in our pursuits. Seema Anand is just amazing, and her youtube channel and all her wonderful stories about love and Tantra and the KS are so beautiful. She is a seductress of speech, manners, and elegance.

I highly, highly recommend that everyone read this book because it is such an experience to go back into the past and unveil the luxurious loving practices of the past and to also learn how to translate these practices into our present.

[Purva Khandelwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegantly written.

[Prerna · Rating 3 out of 5]

some of it is interesting. Most of it is a bit over the top. It’s not Seema’s fault. It’s just the books she’s trying to translate and share which are kinda out to touch. For example, I don’t understand how the waxing or the waning of the moon would make my eyelids a more erogenous zone than others. But maybe it’s all about variety. This isn’t a book you read in one go. It’s more like a vade mecum. That said I really fw the idea of sex she’s described in this book which is why I picked it up at all. So credit where credit’s due, the “my advice” section after every chapter was fun. But I believe this book Becomes useless if only one partner reads it. I find this to be a better book for men, not because it’s pandering or catering to them but bec women r generally innately more sensual and men need to catch up 😭.

Will keep adding on as I finish the book but I want to keep this aside for now.

[Shraððhâ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you believe you know everything there is to know about sex? Well, after watching sex education on Netflix, I felt I knew a lot more now, and there's nothing more to it. However, the show focuses on modern sex-related difficulties and teaches us by providing the best available solutions. It is not a book about sex, but rather about the skills of seduction; it is a book about elegance, passion and talent, pleasure and depths of joy, as you will learn. Some parts that I couldn't relate to or that were repetitive may have been skipped by me but overall, it was a very interesting and educational experience. I had never read anything of kamasutra before, and this was like a modern-day version of a manual on seduction techniques. It should be read by more individuals who will have their minds blown in a positive way.

[Geeti Mohapatra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't just about having good sex. This book does a wonderful job in saying that pleasure is not about the act of thrusting. I think this book was more of a 'sex education' than being just a guide on having sex. It changes the way we think of pleasure, it changes the way we view ourselves, it changes the way we perceive the pleasure of our partners. It takes away the concept of sex from being largely based on body and exchange of fluids to being everything about the act - even the conversations you have during, before, and after sex, the ambiance or environment, the food you eat, the hygiene you maintain, the colour of walls, the cushions you use, the smell of your room, and many more things that you never knew that could be so important for your sexual health and pleasure.

[Aman SharmaJii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this book I thought that kamasutra is a book only about sex. But The author has crafted the book and the content in such a way that I got realised that kamasutra means to satisfy mind and soul. I had completed reading Kamasutra and really I understood that life is a way more bigger than sexual satisfaction. It's the Vatsyayan who realised this things first and wrote book over it. And bunch of idiot who roam around us including myself created A myth that kamasutra is a book related to some kind of sexual satisfaction.

Really Kudos to Seema Anand who wrote this amazing book and took out the real meaning behind writing kamasutra.

[Rinshad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read about sex-ed; as a beginner, reading has brought me nothing but information and pleasure. The book summarizes the manual, written in Kamasutra, in a simplified manner. Well, one thing before you guys go to read it, don't expect something magnificent; instead, look into it as educational material. It helped me learn a lot about seduction and the various practices practiced in ancient India.
One thing to add, this book also helps us to teach how to satisfy both women and men in bed and relationships.

[Pulkit Tiwari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uses simplicity, matter of fact, humor and straightforward style as narrative flavour to revisit, recall and resurface wisdom of ancient texts in addressing approach to intimacy. A book that goes beyond just talks on scandal and sex and attempts a genuine learning curve for both genders on subjects of communication, craft and color that is not often emphasized in modern school of relationship enrichment. Seema's work is noble if not new, soft if not subtle and valuable not vile. An easy but useful read that drives one to intriguing conclusions which are self drawn without being prescriptive

[Piku · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is, I'd say, an easy-to-read modern rendition of the Kama Sutra. Seema discusses the different chapters in the Kama Sutra and then offers her advice. For those who don't know, the majority of the chapters can be used for WLW romance as well. As a queer individual, I found some chapters to be utterly irrelevant and useless for me. However, as a beginner and reader, I found most of the book to be informative.

I'd say it's always good to try out new things because repetitions can lead to boredom and monotony. Overall, a good read. You can skim and skip through most topics as well.

[Anushka · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is for everyone , read it if you are a teenager , read it if you are a married person, read if you are single , basically if you want to have a good sex life read it . It is like the self help book they tell us what to do but , just by reading our lives do not take a total turn over , we have to work for it . The way seema mam has written this book is totally beautiful and elegant .and pay proper attention to the my advise section in each chapter and as i felt the most important page was the last one do not miss it

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been reading this just one chapter at a time. I enjoyed looking first through this culture's approach to seduction and then to all of its different applications. There isn't hardly any area of life where seduction couldn't have been worked into life. From the food that you eat, to how you dress, to manners, it all comes together to make you well rounded in life and that is what makes you a good seducer.

[Mehul Dhikonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Arts of Seduction beautifully captures the spirit of Vātsyāyana's Kamasutra while re-contextualizing it for the 21st century. It is a refreshing reminder and a handy guide for cherishing love and love-making in our otherwise busy lives.

The book leaves you wanting at times, some segments of the book could have been more detailed and nuanced and while Seema Anand is a magnificent speaker and storyteller, her writing doesn't carry the same essence.

[Pramila Kudva]

The Author Seema Anand was quite articulate in her Interview and that prompted me to read the book. From the land of Kamasutra byu Vatsayan, we have come a long way. The word sex is taboo. But Molestation and Rape is of common occurrence. In a land of such extremeities, this book seems to approach love making in a balanced yet enticing manner. The style of writing is a simple narrative.
A decent read.

[Lunatica · Rating 3 out of 5]

~Love Seema Anand but the narrator :(~

Always have Loved and admired Seema Anand ever since her Ted Talk. Have watched her lives/interviews and even listened to her podcast. Wish this was read out by her instead of someone else.
I hated how at many places there were no pauses after a statement.
I think some books are better read than listened 🙄

[Mu Ra · Rating 4 out of 5]

most information is from the kama sutra, the author has collected and shared with their own study included and segregated into various chapters of topics of current interest. while many of the may still be relevant, there are a few which are difficult to understand too. the author explains well and in detail.

[Mehwash · Rating 3 out of 5]

wow! I have savoured this book. The author did a great job writing it so simply and beautifully with such fascinating information that one cannot get enough of it. I'd be thinking about what I read for a long time.

[Mru Belvalkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a great handbook for the adventurous in the bedroom. But most importantly, it elevates sex from a crude, crass behaviour to a beautiful, divine experience with thought, meditation, and science.

[Joshua Chaudry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and thought provoking! I recommend it to everyone who wants to learn more about the art of seduction and... Sex!!!