ABSTRACT
Books in particular allow the story of the relationship to be told in both a material and an immaterial sense. They also make their story tangible by materializing it through these books as repositories of affection and desire, longing, and love. The couples record aspects of their relationships as it unfolds, and in so doing they write and re-write their own story. Distance relationships can bring particular challenges, and are sometimes not thought of as 'real' relationships, especially if they are carried out in large part through virtual media. However, so pervasive is the idea that love between a couple should involve proximity that distance relationships are sometimes perceived as not serious. Making a book could be a way of demonstrating the relationship the couple has together, even when they are apart. According to Miller, the absence of personal objects suggests an absence of personal relationships and an absence of a life lived.
