51¶¯Âþ

When Robert Yeung reviewed Robert Thayer’s
The Origin of Everyday Moods for 51¶¯Âþ
(22 July 1996, p 41),
he said it was fairly laborious reading. The
paperback is now out and anyone reading the preface will realise that the book
is about to demonstrate some common American literary characteristics, such as
statements of the obvious, and prolixity and solemnity masquerading as
profundity. In short, the book says that we all have moods, they can be caused
by events, biology and a mixture of the two, that moods may be changed by taking
a walk, meeting friends and so on and that tension or anxiety can be relieved by
consciously or unconsciously using methods well-known to everybody. The
physiology and anatomy section is a bit deeper and so more interesting.
Published by Oxford Paperbacks, £9.99/$12.95, ISBN 0195118057.