A Compendium Of Kisses

The French are known for romance and their kissing. I’m not talking about French kissing here – but when you greet people. Is it two? Or three (Here in Languedoc we do three, or maybe four when there is an elderly person...) The art of kissing can be a complicated business. Flip through the delightfully witty pages of A Compendium Of Kisses to search for answers to your amorous questions. A pocket-sized guide to kissing in all its forms, Lana Citron's ‘A Compendium of Kisses’ covers every aspect of kissing you could possibly imagine. From a step-by-step explanation of the anatomy and the physical nature of a kiss, to famous kisses throughout history, Lana’s little pink book leaves no stone (or should I say kiss) unturned. You’ll find such quandaries as what’s the recipe for a perfect kiss? When passing through Switzerland, is the appropriate greeting two or three (or four!) kisses on the cheek? What’s the meaning behind a stolen kiss? What’s the world-record for the longest kiss ever (clue: imagine kissing someone for more than a whole day!)? You’ll learn about the chemistry behind kissing, and why – in scientific terms – your heart starts to flutter in the moments leading up to a kiss. If you’re not too keen on the science behind kissing, don’t worry – Lana keeps things lighthearted. Four whole pages are dedicated to songs to kiss to – including Kiss The Girl from A Little Mermaid and In France They Kiss On The Main Street by Joni Mitchell. You can dip in and out of the pages (some of the anecdotes are only a few sentences long), and you can open it up at any page and chances are you’ll learn something new about love, kissing, affection, or simply human interaction in its rawest and most honest form. The book even explains the origins of why we sign off with noughts and crosses as a sign of affection.

‘A long, long kiss, a kiss of youth and love,

And beauty, all concentrating like rays

Into one focus, kindled from above;

Such kisses as belong to early day.’

– Byron, as included in Lana’s book

Whilst flipping through ‘A Compendium of Kisses’ you are bound to come across snippets of poetry, however it’s far from sappy, nor overly doused in romantic whimsy. The guide uncovers the secrets behind kissing in all its forms (romantic and other). Whether it’s discussing why tiny babies crave human contact, or why kissing is important in many biblical tales, to how kissing is depicted in Renaissance art or the definition of a pagan kiss – this little book covers it all. A sweet, smart and quirky book, ‘A Compendium of Kisses’ is a fun and entertaining addition to the bookshelf. Whilst you might hesitate before giving something as personal as this as a gift, I think it’s a perfect present for almost anyone – after all, it’s a guide dedicated to something that we humans crave, and have always practiced throughout the entire history of the human race (apparently – according to the history of kissing!).