Publisher's Synopsis
Tears of grief, sadness, despondency, hopelessness, relief, exhilaration, pride, and ecstacy reflect an amazing range of emotional responses. Why are tears such a mysterious form of communication? In this work, Jeffrey A. Kottler aims to unravel this mystery as he offers answers to such questions as: Why do we cry? How do men and women's tears differ? How are tears interpreted in different cultures? When is crying therapeutic and when does it become self-destructive? Kottler's searching questions explore the passion of the human experience as he delves into the paradoxical nature of tears as physical mirrors of both our pain and our rapture. In addition, he presents the relevant facts on the subject including the evolutionary purposes of tears, the importance of crying for infants and small children, and scientific research on the neuropsychology and biology of tears.
