With information technologies such as the web rapidly expanding our capacity to communicate with each other via electronic technologies, "A Cry Unheard" describes the lethal consequences of the rise of loneliness in modern life. This plague has emerged as one of the leading causes of premature death in all technologically advanced nations. Fueled by powerful social forces that contribute to the disturbance and disruption of human dialogue - including...

"A riveting exploration of the phenomenon of psychosomatic disorders, mass hysteria, and other culture-bound syndromes occurring around the world. In Sweden, hundreds of refugee children fall asleep for months and years at a time. In upstate New York, teenage girls develop involuntary twitches and seizures that spread like a contagion. In the US Embassy in Cuba, employees experience headaches and memory loss after hearing strange noises in the night....

Science journalist Donna Jackson Nakazawa explores the autoimmune disorders that plagued her for a decade, curious to know what mind-body strategies might help her, including meditation, yoga, and acupuncture.