The Friends We Keep

(note: this is a much belated review since I received the book last fall)

This is an account of the experiences of the author and of other women she consulted concerning friendships. She uses personal stories, cultural references, and historical facts to analyze friendships among women. She tries to answer questions such as why we need other women as friends, what it means to have a safe friendship, and how to embrace whatever a friend has to offer.

I stopped reading about halfway through. I found it rather boring. Susan Zacharias Davis made many references to movies, the majority of which I had not seen. Whatever comparison point she was trying to make about the way women acted towards each other in the particular movie did not mean anything to me. I am not familiar with many of the books she referenced, so again, the connection was lost.

I think I am not one for deeply analyzing relationships. I have friends and am a friend. Some friendships have come and gone over the years, depending on the circumstances and situations. True friends enjoy one another's company, recognize one another's strengths and weaknesses, and value the friendship. I believe God puts us together with other women so we can strengthen them and be strengthened by them.

There are guided discussion questions at the end of The Friends We Keep.

Paperback, 2009 from WaterBrook Press.
If you are interested, I have two copies to give away.