Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20200224 | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this first episode, Heather follows her preoccupation with tears back to its origins.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. | |
| 01 | 20200224 | 20200225 (R4) | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this first episode, Heather follows her preoccupation with tears back to its origins.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. |
| 02 | 20200225 | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this second episode, Heather is expecting her first child and continues her investigation by looking into the tears of infants and parents.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. | |
| 02 | 20200225 | 20200226 (R4) | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this second episode, Heather is expecting her first child and continues her investigation by looking into the tears of infants and parents.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. |
| 03 | 20200226 | 20200227 (R4) | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry? American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying. In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies. Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history. The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness. In this third episode, a friend and fellow poet dies, prompting Heather to turn to the Internet for remedies against tears. Her investigation of crying becomes political when a young Black man is shot by the police in Walmart, prompting her to consider the power and meaning of `white lady tears`. Abridged by Joanne Rowntree Produced by Miranda Hinkley Assistant Producer Alexandra Quinn Read by Alexandra Metaxa, featuring Paterson Joseph, Alibe Parsons and Oliver Soden. A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry? American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying. In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies. Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history. The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness. In this third episode, a friend and fellow poet dies, prompting Heather to turn to the Internet for remedies against tears. Her investigation of crying becomes political when a young Black man is shot by the police in Walmart, prompting her to consider the power and meaning of `white lady tears`. Abridged by Joanne Rowntree Produced by Miranda Hinkley Assistant Producer Alexandra Quinn Read by Alexandra Metaxa, featuring Paterson Joseph, Alibe Parsons and Oliver Soden. A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. |
| 04 | 20200227 | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this fourth episode, Heather explores the relationship between 19th century feminist writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who suffered from depression, and her physician Silas Weir Mitchell.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. | |
| 04 | 20200227 | 20200228 (R4) | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this fourth episode, Heather explores the relationship between 19th century feminist writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who suffered from depression, and her physician Silas Weir Mitchell.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. |
| 05 | 20200228 | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this final episode, Heather visits her friend's grave and makes peace with her own family history of depression.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. | |
| 05 | 20200228 | 20200229 (R4) | Shedding tears is a universal human experience, but why and how do we cry?
American poet Heather Christle has lost a dear friend to suicide and must now reckon with her own depression. In this personal, lyrical book she faces her grief by researching the act of crying.
In her Ohio home, Heather assembles a `crybrary` in which she investigates the science and art of tears - from their chemical composition to their depiction in literature. She even mines the Internet for folklore and remedies.
Moving deftly between poetry and prose, she lays bare her own experience. She recalls crying in a car after being dumped, lying in tears on the bathroom floor after an argument with her husband, and her mother's tears as she revisits traumatic family history.
The Crying Book is an honest, thought-provoking and surprising reflection on life, loss and mental illness.
In this final episode, Heather visits her friend's grave and makes peace with her own family history of depression.
Abridged by Joanne Rowntree
Poet Heather Christle meditates on how and why we cry. |