Summary

For the diehard romantic, there may be nothing so thrilling as chronicling that one true love. The Book of Us presents 150 topics on the subject--ranging from "Before I met you, my love life was..." to "One of the reasons I think we lasted so long as a couple is that..." Like David Marshall's earlier book, The Book of Myself, which is also a keepsake, this book makes us wish it were prettier. But it is the thought that counts, and a lot of thought will go into turning these empty pages into something a spouse, one's children, and then their children will cherish. And not to fear: While this is a very sweet book, there is also plenty of room here to ruminate on the less saccharine aspects of life partnership: financial crises, humorous escapades, parenting woes, and home-improvement projects. A word to gay readers: One of the book's five sections focuses on "Tying the Knot"; some of the questions specifically address elements such as the bachelor party and the wedding dress, but most of the questions are generic enough to apply to any type of commitment ceremony. --Jane Steinberg