Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close

Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow, Ann Friedman

15 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.

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bessadams's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

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alexandramiller's review against another edition

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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

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akswhy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

1.0

A largely self-indulgent book on the part of the authors, who tell us in no uncertain terms that they have largely been putting on a front for their wildly popular “we’re best friends!!!” podcast? Every once in a while they throw in a quote from a sociologist or researcher, but I wish that was a larger focus of the book. Instead, they rehash their relationship in hopes that it will be relatable to their audience. It’s not.

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maddiearthur's review against another edition

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emotional reflective

3.75

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carolineberry12's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.75

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lydvos's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

It’s written in 3rd person and 1st person, which is never really explained, so it was confusing at first. It also leaned towards being sort of a memoir at the beginning but it was really interesting as the story progressed.

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maggies's review against another edition

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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.

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katiejohns's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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amykwrites's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

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