Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Just as his best-selling Snobbery argued that contemporary American
snobbery isn"t what it used to be, Friendship: An Exposé begins
with Joseph Epstein"s feeling that friendship, too, is somehow different
today. From the idealization of "family time" to the acceptance of gender
equality, from technological leaps like e-mail and instant messaging
to the (very recent) assumption that your spouse will be your best
friend, Epstein charts the unexpected and surprising forces that have
squeezed and shaped friendship. In the process, he sketches a witty
and incisive anatomy of the modern version: its duties and requirements
("Reciprocity, or Is It Obligation?"), the various kinds of friendships
("A Little Taxonomy of Friends"), the differences between male
and female friendships, the complications marriage creates ("Friendship"s
New Rival"), even what happens when sex enters the equation.
Moving easily from Aristotle to Seinfeld, and drawing on his own
experiences with people great (Saul Bellow and Ralph Ellison) and
unknown (an army bunkmate), Epstein uncovers the surprising and
hidden truths of friendships and so inspires us to reconsider our own.
About the Author
JOSEPH EPSTEIN is the author of the best-selling Snobbery: The American Version, among other books, and was formerly editor of the American Scholar. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper"s Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, and other magazines. He is currently working on a book about friendship. He lives in Chicago.
Friendship : An Exposé,Joseph Epstein,Houghton Mifflin,0618341498,Family / Parenting / Childbirth,Friendship,Friendship in literature,Pop Arts / Pop Culture,Popular Culture - General,Social Science,Sociology,Social Science / Popular Culture
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