The Kiss: A Romantic Treasury

If you're looking for a photography book about romantic love, this is the one. There are 2 or 3 pics of parents and children (which are adorable by the way), but other than that this book is strictly about couples. The prints are all black and white, and range from old fashioned to more modern. There are great quotes on every other page from people like Wilde, Cummings, Anne Sexton, Shakespeare, Swift, and some actors and actresses too. There's something in here for everybody. It would make a great Valentine's gift.

This is a tastefully done album on the subject of the 'kiss'. The visual examples are not vulgar. The quotations are a delight and make for enjoyable easy reading. A page- turner. Here are a few examples of the wisdom cited in the book. " A kiss something you cannot give without taking, or take without giving." ( Anonymous) "Soul meets soul in lover's kisses" ( Shelley) " The Universe exists in a kiss, hangs on the hold of a kiss. (Zalman Shneour) The book is without deep or prolonged philosophical consideration of the meaning of different kinds of 'kisses'. The kisses in question are 'romantic kisses' of usually young man and woman. There are not in this book the kisses of a mother for a child, or at the other end of life, the parting kiss at the closing of the eyes of one leaving the world. This book is thus for those whose mind and hearts are in 'romantic love' for the young in spirit primarily.

I was given a copy of this book years ago and some of the quotes within still stay with me even though the book is now miles away. Quotes from people such as Byron and Rossetti, even accommodating certain lines from Casablanca, as well as art from people such as Klimt makes this a beautiful gift for either man or woman. Some quotes are touching, some funny, and all capture different aspects of the affection and warmth conveyed by the pursing of our lips and making a kind of sucking motion... which as the book tells us, should be done in contact with someone, otherwise you could just be calling a horse! A real pleasure to read and raises a smile throughout