Love is in the air ... and in the books

Maybe it's because of Valentine's Day, but February just inspires lovers and writers. You have to look no further than your library or bookstore to witness the enormous influx of new books on the miracles of love this February.

Whether you're "hungry" for love, suffering from heartbreak, or simply enjoy reading about love, you'll find many lovable books here.

REVIEWS BY SHARON GALLIGAR CHANCE

Ambiance

Is your love life not quite as you'd like it? The reason could be because you are out of alignment with your environment. Richard Webster's Feng Shui for Love and Romance applies the ancient Chinese theory of living in harmony with the environment to finding and maintaining a loving relationship. According to Webster, author of seven books on the technique, "Feng Shui can help you attract the right partner, and it can also enable you to revitalize a current relationship." This delightful book explains how arranging an environment according to the principles of Feng Shui can bring love, happiness, hope, and well-being into life. Webster also includes a basic primer on the rich historical art of Feng Shui as well as actual stories of people he has personally helped. Any philosophy that has endured for over five thousand years must have some merit to it. And besides, what could it hurt to try?


Aphrodisiacs

You and your true love are bound to be hungry after re-creating your personal environment. Author Ailene Eberhard has the perfect solution for hungry lovers in her cookbook, The Passionate Palate: A Celebration of Love and Food. As Eberhard says in her introduction, "nothing fans the fires of love like good food that is lovingly prepared and served with affection." Divided into the seasons of the year, this delicious collection includes over 20 menus and nearly 150 easy-to-follow recipes for sumptuous meals guaranteed to woo the one you love. In addition to cooking instructions, Eberhard also includes advice and tips on how to bring fun and sensuality into your love life. Each section has a list of seasonal "Aphrodisiacs to Enhance Your Love Life." Did you know that tomatoes are considered "love apples"? Or that seaweed will bring more lust to your lovemaking?


It's in the stars

If sensual food doesn't help and the Feng Shui isn't working, perhaps it is time to consult the stars and planets to help figure out how to find romance. Sydney Omarr's Astrological Guide to Love and Romance is a complete guide to how love is affected by our astrological signs.

Omarr, the world-renowned astrologer and syndicated columnist, suggests that love, above all else, affects every aspect of life. His introduction states, ". . . without love, there is very little else that is worthwhile." He examines each of the 12 astrological signs and how each sign relates to the others. Fascinating reading, and it might just explain why you seem to be attracted to all those Scorpios.


Get crafty

The crafty and creative among us like to express our sentiments with handmade tokens. 100 Ways to Say I Love You: Handmade Gifts and Heartfelt Expressions by Jane LaFerla contains 75 projects sure to win the affections of friends and family throughout the year. LaFerla also includes 25 ideas for heartfelt expressions for spouses, children, neighbors, teachers, and even pets. Full-color photos and easy-to-follow instructions accompany the delightful projects. From simple heart-adorned candles to complex needlepoint projects, perfect gifts for loved ones can be found in these pages.


Lost love

The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once wrote, "'Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." With the theme of lost love in mind, Robert Pinsky, the 39th U.S. Poet Laureate, has collected 101 poems in The Handbook of Heartbreak. The slim volume includes works by a diverse range of poets from Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath to Emily Dickinson. All the poems beautifully depict the exquisite misery heartbreak brings. Pinsky chose each poem specifically because ". . . it sounded lonely to me." The fascination with love-lorn lamentations are well-represented here.


Couplehood

Everyone loves a lover, and people have always been fascinated by love stories. The oversized volume entitled Love: A Century of Love and Passion by Florence Montreynaud is an in-depth look at some of the most famous couples of the 20th century.

Beginning in 1900 and continuing by decade to 1998, Montreynaud documents the known and the unknown, including Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric, John and Jackie Kennedy, and Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love -- which proves love makes strange bedfellows. Particularly poignant is the final article on the incredible love story of Paul and Linda McCartney, and Paul's unwavering devotion to his wife during her final days.


Lovely Books

Love: A Book of Quotations edited by Herb Galewitz. Over 360 quotes from some of the greatest love authorities of the 20th century.

The Triumph of Love by Geoffrey Hill. A skinny but beautiful volume of poetry from one of today's most renowned British poets.

The Technique of the Love Affair: By a Gentlewoman (Doris Langley Moore), edited by Norrie Epstein. A 1928 classic guide to love, updated and annotated for today's world.

Botanica Erotica: Arousing Body, Mind and Spirit by Diane De Luca. A lively, cookbook/herbal handbook which explores the way food, herbs, and behavior can arouse human sensual pleasure.

Practical Intuition in Love: Start a Journey Through Pleasure to the Love of Your Life by Laura Day. A guide to becoming more intimately and intuitively connected with your own true love.

The New Yorker Book of True Love Cartoons. One hundred cartoons take a hilarious look at true love, The New Yorker style.


Sharon Galligar Chance is a reviewer for the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.

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