Ars Erotica

'With a panoramic horizon that draws upon the full compass of sexual culture, world philosopher Richard Shusterman in his Ars Erotica elevates and ennobles sexuality by finding the crucial isomorphisms between deference and a situated, contrapuntal musicality, between artistry and the intensity of pleasure, between sensual imagination and intelligent practice. Shusterman continues his somaesthetic revolution by taking the stodgy professional discipline to task with a sex education that seeks to refine rather than contain, and to elevate rather than ignore this vital aspect of the human experience.' Roger T. Ames, Peking University
'The unending struggle to reconcile the 'base' demands of the desiring body with the elevating aspirations of culture defines human history. Drawing on his pioneering work in somaesthetics, Richard Shusterman displays extraordinary erudition in presenting the ways in which seven great civilizations have fashioned an ars erotica seeking to do justice to both.' Martin Jay, University of California, Berkeley
'In the impressive and ground-breaking new book, Ars Erotica: Sex and Somaesthetic in the Classical Arts of Love, the somaesthetic philosopher and historian, Richard Shusterman, captures the human somaesthetic expressions and movements in time and cultures in all its width, through what he calls Ars Erotica … Ars Erotica should be read as a book of enlightenment to everyone who wants to enrich their knowledge of somaesthetic and aesthetics art of living and who further want to understand more of the hidden power of gender and erotic visions.' Line Joranger, Psychology of Women Quarterly
'Richard Shusterman's latest book is a tour de force through the broad (multi)cultural and temporal horizon of his investigation. In this connection, vagueness is factored in, for all the careful legitimization of terminology at the beginning of the volume, especially the option for ars erotica, Shusterman must ultimately present a whole realm of love forms, physical as well as idealized and even mystical in nature. Above all, this investigation, which promises to become a standard work, makes the originally somewhat abstract program of somaesthetics tangible and convincing.' Madalina Diaconu, Polylog
'The historical and geographical scope of the book is breath-taking … The complexity and detail of the material addressed entail that Ars Erotica may be read in a number of ways … and … has consequences for how we live our lives and care for our bodies. The extraordinary scholarship, and indeed courage, of Ars Erotica demands the initiation of much needed debates, not least with feminist and queer theorists. It is an important text, and is so beyond its place in the development of aesthetics or indeed somaesthetics. It should, as Shusterman hopes, serve in developing the understanding, criticism, and ultimately practice, of our own sexual cultures and their inherent aesthetics.' The British Journal of Aesthetics
'… An absolutely trailblazing work … Ars Erotica sheds light on a path worthy of future study and it has definitely established Shusterman's role in the history of aesthetics as a major one.' Max Ryynänen, Slovak Journal of Aesthetics
'A look at other cultures and other times can provide, as this book suggests, ample resources for a broader, deeper, erotic vision to enrich the field of aesthetics and our art of living.' Mark Tschaepe, Metaphilosophy
'Richard Shusterman's Ars Erotica ambitiously romps through history to explore the idea of sex as an artistic skill honed by study and training. … Shusterman's work [is] highly informative and provocative to both experts and educated laypeople. … Ars Erotica is an excellent choice for readers interested in sexuality and its history from cross-cultural perspectives as well as those wishing to know more about comparative philosophy. Those interested in art, aesthetics, and especially somaesthetics are also likely to find it an extremely worthwhile read. Ars Erotica, in short, can be recommended as an extensively researched, accessible, and multifaceted book.' Matthew Crippen, Society
'Shusterman understands that many of his subjects require background discussions, discussions of, say, the nature of the relevant society or theological issues, which he then provides. This book therefore is a wide-ranging accomplishment; I learned much from it. It will function well as a basis for further reflections and a springboard to future syntheses.' Mark Masterson, Journal of the History of Sexuality
'Rich in its cross-cultural perspectives of how artistic body practices (including the art of love making) are cultivated, Ars Erotica combines important ideas from different philosophical traditions with literary works emanating from varied cultural, religious, and linguistic legacies. The mixture of both philosophy and literature in the book helps reconcile the long-standing disputes regarding the divide between the two scholarships, thus making Shusterman's writing worthy of investigating.' Setiono Sugiharto, Journal of Language and Literature