The Language of Tears - Hardcover

"Presents a comprehensive, lucid, and illuminating anatomy of this amazing metaphor for human feeling." --Frederic A. Brussat, Cultural Information Service, Values & Visions Review Service "Kottler, a psychologist and educator who has seen more than the average number of tears, has observed that they can be much more meaningful than words. He handles this unusual topic with clear-headed vision." --NAPRA ReView

No word or action speaks louder than a single tear. 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? Best-selling author and psychologist Jeffrey A. Kottler unravels the mystery as he offers surprising answers to such questions as: Why do we cry? How do men's 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. Wise, informative, and moving, The Language of Tears challenges many of our conventional attitudes toward tears and shows how valuable crying can be as an opportunity for communication, intimacy, change, and enlightenment.