I have recently learned of two books that seem interesting: ANNOYING: The Science of What Bugs Us by Joe Palca and Flora Lichtman (thanks to Natalie Fleury!); and It’s Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace by Ann Kraemer.

The New York Times gave a review of the Annoying book at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/health/26zuger.html

The Washington Post review of It’s Always Personal is available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/book-discusses-controlling-emotions-at-work/2011/04/05/AFzL0G9C_story.html?hpid=z6

And, if you are trying to find a new way to procrastinate you can spend a few minutes taking the Workplace Emotions Evaluation Profile at:
http://www.annekreamer.com/its-always-personal/weep-survey.

From a quick read of the reviews it seems that both books have the same basic conclusion: there is no denying that we and those around us will be annoying, get annoyed, have emotions, and be emotional. The big surprise to me was that it is apparently no longer a big taboo to cry at work. At least that is what some men are saying (women still overwhelmingly find it unprofessional and unacceptable).