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Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'
Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Ann Friedman, Aminatou Sow
4 reviews
hmatt's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
This was a big "buyer beware" for me, because it is very much more memoir than sociology/anthropology. It is advertised as this, but I think I let what I wanted the book to be crowd out what it is. I was hoping for a deep dive on the science of friendship and the value of close friendships, whereas this is a deep dive on one particular friendship with some fun facts thrown in.
In that light, my comments on how the book feels a bit heteronormative are mostly moot. There isn't a lot of discussion on diverse gender friendships, but I suppose that's because the authors are not involved in one. There is a large section about diverse racial friendships, though, which I found insightful. I appreciate the call out for Angela Chen's book Ace, but I was left wanting more on the nuances of platonic vs. romantic relationships... and on a bunch of topics, honestly.
This was a quick audiobook listen for me, and I recommend that format. The authors narrate, and when they are quoting others they have that person read their own quote, which is super fun. For a low-stakes read, this was interesting, but I'm left wanting a lot more on this topic.
In that light, my comments on how the book feels a bit heteronormative are mostly moot. There isn't a lot of discussion on diverse gender friendships, but I suppose that's because the authors are not involved in one. There is a large section about diverse racial friendships, though, which I found insightful. I appreciate the call out for Angela Chen's book Ace, but I was left wanting more on the nuances of platonic vs. romantic relationships... and on a bunch of topics, honestly.
This was a quick audiobook listen for me, and I recommend that format. The authors narrate, and when they are quoting others they have that person read their own quote, which is super fun. For a low-stakes read, this was interesting, but I'm left wanting a lot more on this topic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Medical content
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Racism
alexandramiller's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
This provoked a lot of thoughts, the chief of which was how much I love my friends
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Racial slurs, Medical content, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Deportation
maggies's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Loved loved loved Aminatou and Ann's storytelling and perspective on enduring, soulmate-like friendship. Should be read by any who aspire to friendship of any kind.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Racism
Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
internationalreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment