“A major synthesis of a variety of wisdom traditions and the author's own experiences. A much needed resource at this current time.”

“My empathy with others increased, as well as my emotional awareness overall. It helped me be more self-aware and work on becoming a more compassionate friend.”

“A culmination of decades of introspection. If you've ever felt lonely, read it.”

“This is a superb summary of friendship and its importance in our lives.”

“Here philosophy meets the essay form.... The first five chapters could stand the test of time as representative of our modern age.”

“The more we read, the more curious we became about what friendship really is.”

“...It reminded me why I have only a handful of people I truly love, respect, and call my friends.”

“The book very skillfully moves one from head to heart.”

“The deeper I went, the more compelling it became.”

“The footnotes are rigorous; they establish that we're not inventing friendship anew, but participating in an ancient and ongoing dialogue about human connection. This level of care—this refusal to oversimplify—made me trust the book deeply.”

“What stood out was the deep discussion of loneliness and how, despite being more technologically connected than ever, so many people are experiencing a deeper sense of isolation.”

“You’ve heard of page-turners and books you can’t put down. This is one you can’t turn a page of without picking up an insight.”

“The invitation to the post-religious reader to filter like an oyster--to take what nourishes and leave the rest--is offered with grace. The questions/prompts that close each chapter are not exercises; they are well-crafted, awe-producing doorways. This is a meditative book to read slowly, the way Alma taught him to read, and then to hand to one of your friends.”