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Trade Paperback
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9781982111915
Overview
Overview
A close friendship is one of the most influential and important relationships a human life can contain. Anyone will tell you that But for all the rosy sentiments surrounding friendship, most people don't talk much about what it really takes to stay close for the long haul. Now two friends, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, tell the story of their equally messy and life-affirming Big Friendship in this honest and hilarious book that chronicles their first decade in one another's lives. As the hosts of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend, they've become known for frank and intimate conversations. In this book, they bring that energy to their own friendship--its joys and its pitfalls. Aminatou and Ann define Big Friendship as a strong, significant bond that transcends life phases, geographical locations, and emotional shifts. And they should know: the two have had moments of charmed bliss and deep frustration, of profound connection and gut-wrenching alienation. They have weathered life-threatening health scares, getting fired from their dream jobs, and one unfortunate Thanksgiving dinner eaten in a car in a parking lot in Rancho Cucamonga. Through interviews with friends and experts, they have come to understand that their struggles are not unique. And that the most important part of a Big Friendship is making the decision to invest in one another again and again. An inspiring and entertaining testament to the power of society's most underappreciated relationship, Big Friendship will invite you to think about how your own bonds are formed, challenged, and preserved. It is a call to value your friendships in all of their complexity. Actively choose them. And, sometimes, fight for them.
- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Sow, Aminatou
- ISBN: 9781982111915
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 8.40 x 0.70
- Number Of Pages: 272
- Publication Year: 2021
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Great book for yourself and as a gift to the important female friendships in your life!
Nikki W. - 5 years 6 months agoAs someone who is finding myself in more and more long distance friendships as life moves on this book was a no brainer! Hearing from the perspectives of two best friends who have been able to accomplish this while still remaining true to their own struggles was fascinating and not something you see talked about too often. I have recently began gifting this to my friends and have taken up obsessively listening to their podcast backlog! If you’re into feminism, candidness, and the power of recognizing the importance of female friendship this one is for you. #SpringPicks
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“Make a decision to make a world in which big friendships are valued as the identity-shaping, life-altering relationships they truly are."
Jennifer N. - 5 years 11 months agoWhen I discovered their podcast during my year abroad in Turkey, it was love at first listen. While I was making new friends in a new culture, I missed hearing the English language and not having to translate to understand. Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman’s Call Your Girlfriend made me feel not like I was eavesdropping but that I was participating in the friendship of two besties from my native country across the sea, and for those 60 minutes my homesickness was quelled. CYG was my CBD! You can imagine my joy when I found out they were co-authoring a book together. I awaited its publication in eager anticipation and followed their writing journey vicariously. When they mentioned that they wanted to include the authentic voices of the authors they cited in their audiobook, I held out for my library copy to become available and months later, it finally arrived. The wait was worth every second. I was delighted to discover the authors’ citation of Emily Langan, communication professor at Wheaton College, my alma mater! I was also surprised and impressed because Wheaton is known for its conservative Christianity and the authors are both outspoken liberal feminists. To respectfully include the voice (literally on audio!) of an “outsider” lends credibility to the objectivity of their research. According to the experience of a former surgeon general, “The most common pathology...was loneliness...Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.” “Friendship is a real deal insurance policy against the hurricanes of life.” And yet, “If big friendship is built on trust, can it even exist if the trap door [of racism] is always threatening to swing open?” As a “white friend,” I was compelled by Ann’s example, “Ann doesn’t just recognize the mistake; she acts to correct the record.” Another interviewee Saeed expressed, “He just kept proving himself in unexpected ways.” That’s Jesus for me. “We were perfectly calibrated.” In conclusion, Aminatou and Ann assert, “Make a decision to make a world in which big friendships are valued as the identity-shaping, life-altering relationships they truly are.” Amen and Amen! This friendship, podcast and book deserve BIG stars!