The magic of the book comes from the ways they've welcomed readers in, weaving personal stories with practical advice and insights to get to the heart of what makes up our best, messiest, most beautiful relationships - the ones we're in for 'the long haul.' It's there in every word they wrote together, from their early G-chat exchanges to the celebration of their friendiversary. But while many readers are certain to have the 'YES!' experience of relatability as they learn about friendship and that of Sow and Friedman, the heartbeat of this book comes from the very specific love between the two writers. It's impossible to read those snippets from their description without thinking of the people in your life who fit the bill, just as it's impossible to read the book without seeing pieces of your own relationships reflected in those described. It is 'a bond of great strength, force, and significance that transcends life phases, geographical locations, and emotional shifts.' Sow and Friedman note that Big Friendship is active, 'full of meaning and resonance,' and 'reciprocal, with both parties feeling worthy of each other, and willing to give of themselves in generous ways.' The 26 Best Books Coming Out in July 2020īig Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close, out July 14, opens with the pair's definition of what they call Big Friendship. We began the process of making each other into the people we are today.' We didn't just meet each other that night. I won't spoil details of the perfectly 2009 night they first became friends, but I will share a few powerful lines they wrote about it: 'We have changed each other in countless ways, from the profound to the imperceptible. Sow, a writer and cultural commentator, and Friedman, a journalist and media entrepreneur, met when they both lived in Washington DC in their mid-20s. I've been a fan of their podcast, Call Your Girlfriend, for years, and while I'd eagerly read their take on, well, anything, I'm thrilled to report that their philosophy on friendship is as insightful, hilarious, and moving as I'd hoped. When I learned Sow and Friedman were writing a book together - one about friendship, no less - I flipped. 'Us!' 'THIS.' 'YES.' In a very short time, the book and I were in a honeymoon phase not unlike the one shared by writers Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman early in their friendship. I texted the photos alongside single-word declarations.

I did something I'd never done before while reading Big Friendship: I snapped pictures of entire pages and sent them to friends.

Ann friedman big friendship