Exclusive: Our Favorite Six-Word Memoirs of Love and Heartbreak

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As a follow-up to their wonderful collection of

, the editors at Smith Magazine have compiled a new edition of compact sentiments on love and relationships. We actually read it cover to cover, and were charmed and impressed the range of emotions and situations covered by the contributors — some actually made us laugh out loud, others got us a bit teary. Who needs Pride and Prejudice when you have this book, which highlights all the different kinds of love and heartbreak there are, and with about 99 percent less wordiness than Jane Austen?

is out today, and as Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s a helpful, quick read for getting some condensed perspective on love. That, or a really predictable yet lovely Valentine’s gift for your artsy significant other (or for yourself, of course). A preview of the great selections after the jump.

The one that captures the zeitgeist: “Met him online. Blogged our divorce.” – Kristy Sammis

The weird celebrity one: “It never hurt as good again.” – Marc Ecko

The pretty, poetic one: “Sleeping, our foreheads touch. Fates mingle.” – Jennifer Curtis

The lol one: “Don’t worry, I’ll make myself come.” – Amy Sohn

The straight-shooter one: “Moved in. No ring. Moved out.” – Melissa Lafsky

The “awww” one: “I trusted her forever. Good choice.” – Nate Koechly

The one we liked the most: “I always take love frivolously serious.” – Xaviera Hollander

The literary one: “Zooey Glass is my only love.” – Beth Dunigan

The “what is wrong with the world” one: “Internet exploitation at thirteen, dating impaired.” – Jesie Rippel

The one with the best use of Beatles lyrics: “He still needs me at sixty-four.” – Armistead Maupin

The “hell yeah, it is” one: “Happiness is a bed to myself” – Michelle Ponto

The one that made us sigh: “Two marriages. The wrong one died.” – Andrea Paloian

The one that needs no explanation: “Plenty of liquor — we’ll make it.” – Allison Shields