Contributor post by Lisa Congdon



I think the idea of giving a book for Valentines day is very romantic. I'd love to make a list of fiction for the occasion or an entire list of art books that make my heart swoon. Last month, at the flea market, I saw an antiquarian books vendor who'd made a display that said "Books make sexy Valentines gifts" or something like that. He'd set aside all of his romantically-themed novels and picture books, all of them old and browned and beautiful. Today, I went to the site of one of my favorite book publishers, Chronicle Books , and selected some of what they offer that might make a really nice Valentines gift for someone you love.

This list is in no particular order but I must say one of my favorite romantically-themed books of the last year is This is For You by artist Rob Ryan, pictured above.

Here are some others that I found that I thought were beautiful:

I Love Macarons :



For the pastry lover in your life; renowned Japanese pastry-maker Hisako Ogita shows us the art of baking macarons in full color.

Hearts for Madelene :



Hearts for Madalene is a beautiful and heart-wrenching project that has been chronicled into a set of gorgeous cards: "Every Monday, in honor her beloved partner Madalene Rodriguez, whom she lost to ovarian cancer, Page Hodel photographs a one-of-a-kind valentine crafted from every day objects. She then emails them to friends and family as a reminder and celebration of this remarkable soul and their magnificent love. This set of notecards collects her most beautiful and creative images. A portion of the proceeds from each sale of this collection will be donated to The Women's Cancer Resource Center in Oakland, California."

Love Hotels :



Japan is famous for many things, and among them is its quirky theme-roomed "Love Hotels" designed for short romantic interludes. This book is packed with stunning photos.

I WIll Never Forget You :



An homage to Frida Kahlo by photographer Nickolas Muray, who was Frida Kahlo's friend, lover and confidante, this book chronicles their relationship in pictures and words, through his stunning portraits and their heart-felt correspondence.