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A SELF Well-Read Bookclub pick
Our friends enrich every part of our lives. Now you can make them matter the most.
Despite modern technology and the ample ways we have to keep in touch, we risk neglecting our relationships with the people who have the most profound effect on our well-being: our friends. Weaving together personal stories, interviews with experts, and social research, Friendship First empowers you to nurture relationships with friends both new and old. Journalist Gyan Yankovich reveals how friendships play a vital role in our happiness with insights on how to:
- Deepen workplace friendships outside the office
- Invite friends into activities typically reserved for families
- Use social media to strengthen connections
- Maintain friendships through major life transitions.
An ode to group chats and chosen family, Friendship First invites you to care for and count on those who matter most.
A SELF Well-Read Bookclub pick
“In Friendship First, journalist Gyan Yankovich takes a deep dive into the challenges and triumphs of friendships today. With a mix of vulnerable heart and scientific rigor, this book is perfect for anyone looking to understand their friendship landscape better.”—Anna Goldfarb, author of Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections
“Delves into everything from chosen families, to the power of showing up for the people who matter, to the use of language and its limits. . . . Whether readers pick up this book already equipped with a powerful network of social relationships or want to forge those deep friendships, they will find a friend in Yankovich, the kind of companion who shows up with honesty, empathy, and insights.”—Library Journal, starred review
“Friendship First explores what so many of us have always suspected to be true: that our platonic relationships can yield as much love and happiness—and may require as much work—as our romantic ones. Yankovich has provided us with an approachable field guide to understanding, deepening, and appreciating some of the most beautiful and important bonds we share.”—Caroline Moss, host of Gee Thanks, Just Bought It!
“Friendship First is a powerful testament to the beauty and importance of platonic love. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to prioritize the friendships in their life—and become a better friend in the process.”—Chelsea Fagan, author of The Financial Diet
“Research shows that after food and shelter, positive social connections with others is our greatest need. At a time of increased loneliness and disconnect, Friendship First is a breath of fresh air and inspiration to build, maintain, and renew friendships.”—Emma Seppälä, PhD, Yale lecturer and author of The Happiness Track and Sovereign
“Yankovich focuses on enriching existing relationships—sending care packages, scheduling check-ins—rather than forming new ones, and gives tips on how to integrate friends into family and romantic circles.”—Publishers Weekly
“This book honors our most significant relationships with the tender thoughtfulness of the best friend you’ve ever had.”—Gina Rushton, author of The Parenthood Dilemma
“[A] joyful, hopeful and considered book that will have you texting your friends in a hurry to tell them how much you appreciate them.”—Lucinda Price, author of All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot
“Reading Friendship First is a healing experience for anyone who’s ever interacted with people. It will have you calling up your friends to tell them you appreciate them, reaching out to those you keep meaning to catch up with, and maybe even rekindling faded connections. A compassionate and urgent take on why friendships are vital, this book will help you realize that the greatest love story of your life is probably already around you. And if it isn’t, read it again!!”—Sable Yong, author of Die Hot with a Vengeance
“This book not only made me think about my friends in a different way, it also made me think about the kind of person I want to be.”—Bridie Jabour, author of Trivial Grievances
“[A] thoughtful, brilliant, and wholly comforting read.”—Elfy Scott, author of The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About
