There are a number of other smiles documented in research, including ones reflecting embarrassment, love, desire, disgust and sadness.

WSJ: Stress-Busting Smiles

Nowhere on "The Whole Love" does Tweedy luxuriate in more sadness, or find more hard-won satisfaction, than on the last track, "One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend), " 12 minutes of John Fahey-meets-Tortoise, NPRsegue velvet.

CNN: Review: Wilco's 'The Whole Love'

The underlying question posed by Mr Sollers is how you can be happy, reconciling physical love with passion, when sexual disappointment, sadness and cultural poverty are so common.

ECONOMIST: Recent French fiction