Synopses & Reviews
No word or action speaks louder than a single tear. Tears of grief, sadness, despondency, hopelessness, relief, exhilaration, pride, and ecstasy 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 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. It is an intriguing and insightful study.The cover of The Language of Tears is fashioned from handmade paper embossed with delicate flower petals. Every copy of The Language of Tears, is an individual work of art that makes an ideal gift.
Review
"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
Synopsis
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.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-232) and index.
About the Author
JEFFREY A. KOTTLER is the author of twenty books about therapeutic relationships and the most intimate aspects of being human, including On Being a Therapist (1990 ) and Beyond Blame (1994) both from Jossey-Bass Publishers. A professor of counseling and educational psychology at the University of Nevada, he lives in Las Vegas.
Table of Contents
1. A Student of Tears
2. A Language That TranscAnds Words
3. Evolution of Crying
4. Understanding the Meanings of Tears
5. Crying Across Cultures
6. Women and Tears
7. When Men Cry
8. Crying and Personal Transformation
9. Responding to Tears
10. A Time for Tears