cover image Crying: The Mystery of Tears

Crying: The Mystery of Tears

William H. Frey. Winston Press, $8.95 (174pp) ISBN 978-0-86683-829-0

""Tears, idle tears,'' usually the stuff of poetry, become the stuff of scientific investigation for biochemist Frey, who asks here: Why do humans cry? Is crying healthy? Is there a chemical difference between tears of pain and tears of emotion? Do animals weep? Convinced that tears ``hold the key to the chemistry of human emotions,'' Frey has conducted a variety of behavioral, psychological, genetic and chemical tests on tears. Based on his research, he concludes that crying does indeed relieve stress. This readable volume combines rigorous research with entertaining anecdotes, and a questionnaire in the back invites readers to sob for science. December