Synopses & Reviews
From the writer whom James Atlas has deemed "the liveliest, most
erudite, and engaging essayist we have," Friendship is a sharply
entertaining examination of those complex and wonderful relationships
without which we'd all be lost. Joseph Epstein sketches an amusing yet
serious anatomy of friendship in its contemporary guises: the duties and
requirements of friendship, the various kinds of friendships, the differences
between male and female friendships, the complications marriage
and family create—and what happens when sex enters the equation.
Moving easily from Aristotle to Seinfeld and drawing on his own
experiences with people both famous (Saul Bellow and Ralph Ellison)
and unknown (an army bunkmate), Epstein uncovers rich and often
surprising truths about our chosen companions.
Review
"Brisk and delightful . . . Engaging . . . 'Friendship' is spangled with winning turns of phrase." --John Freeman The Wall Street Journal
"As entertaining and illuminating as a leisurely lunch with a loquacious, literate friend." Kirkus Reviews
"Epstein lucidly. . .applies wisdom to his own life experience, producing a meditative memoir that is refined and modest in tone." Publishers Weekly
As always, [Epstein] works wonders with words . . . for more than two decades, he has been a national treasure. . . . Enthusiastically recommended." Library Journal Starred
"A fine companion for those who find listening to wry, erudite men holding forth on history and society a pleasure." --Elissa Schappell Elle
"Smart, delightfully literate and sophisticated." --Tim Rutten The Los Angeles Times
"Epstein is an adroit pulse-taker of changing mores." --Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett The Seattle Times
"Engaging, witty and heady. Epstein uses examples from Aristotle to Seinfeld to get at the heart of human relationships." --Gail Rosenblum Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Rich pickings . . . A thoughtful consideration of the pleasures and obligations of friendship . . . honest, unsparing and brimful of illuminating literary anecdotes." --William Grimes The New York Times
"A fascinating look at something that will remain important as long as we remain human." --Jeffrey M. Landaw The Baltimore Sun
Synopsis
Is it possible to have too many friends? Is your spouse supposed to be your best friend? How far should you go to help a friend in need? And how do you end a friendship that has run its course?
In a wickedly entertaining anatomy of friendship in its contemporary guises, Joseph Epstein uncovers the rich and surprising truths about our favored companions. Friendship illuminates those complex, wonderful relationships without which we'd all be lost.
About the Author
JOSEPH EPSTEIN is the author of the best-selling Snobbery and of Friendship, among other books, and was formerly editor of the American Scholar. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harpers Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, and other magazines. He lives in Evanston, Illinois.