First of all, take a moment to soak in this gorgeous cover. Now, to the insides. The Crying Book is a collection of vignettes and poems and famous (or not-so-famous) literary passages about crying. Heather Christle’s life is one big emotional rollercoaster—a friend has just died by suicide, she’s pregnant with her first child, and the United States is under a horrifying administration—and tears are the one central, unchanging thing. Christle digs into Lachrymology, the science of tears: The body produces different types of tears to keep eyes lubricated, to flush out foreign objects, and, of course, to show emotion. They have different chemical makeups and different viscosities. She writes about the agency of crying women, shares Amazon reviews for crying baby dolls, and considers the weaponization of white tears. The Crying Book is moving, sad, powerful, beautiful little book.

From Best Books We Read in October–December 2019 at Book Riot and Endorphins Make You Happy at Crooked Reads.