The best 40 Friendship books

The Art of Rivalry (2016) details the remarkable accomplishments of some of history’s greatest artists and the personal relationships with their peers that propelled them to creative success. These blinks explain how rivalry between artists drives innovation and how relationships have been central to the growth of the arts in general.

• Students of art and art history
• Artists of all types
• Entrepreneurs hoping to understand how competition can drive innovation

Quiet Power (2016) explains why adolescents struggle with introversion and explores how an aversion to socializing can make it challenging to form friendships, complete schoolwork and fulfill social obligations. These blinks offer a number of different techniques that introverts can use to make these situations bearable and turn their so-called weakness into a straightforward advantage.

• Teachers, students and parents
• Child psychologists
• Introverts

Friend of a Friend (2018) shows how networks around us can be put to use and taken advantage of. Networking is, of course, a crucial skill for professional success – but networks themselves go even deeper and aren’t just about making new contacts. Innovation, career development and business success all have their part to play, too.

• Students of business and management
• Ambitious professionals
• Frustrated workers stuck in dead-end jobs

How to Fail (2019) is an honest and revealing look at the abundant rewards that come from making it through the toughest of times. Author Elizabeth Day takes us through many of the formative events in her life that some could call failures, yet she is nonetheless grateful for. Many fear failure like the plague, but it is often unavoidable – and for good reason too, because if we didn’t fail, we wouldn’t learn the many important lessons that make us smarter and better at living life.

• Anyone going through a tough time
• People looking to rebound from a failed project
• Women thinking about starting a family

The High-Conflict Couple (2007) is a guide to overcoming the common relationship pitfalls that lead to conflict and animosity. Drawing upon years of psychology research and therapy experience, Alan E. Fruzzetti explains where conflict comes from and how it can be reduced.

• Couples tired of fighting with each other
• People who struggle to accept the things they cannot change
• Anyone wanting to be more present in their own life

Safe People (1995) examines the traits of safe and unsafe people and teaches readers how to seek out the former and avoid the latter in their search for meaningful relationships. From a biblical perspective, the book talks about the importance of true connection.

• Anyone interested in improving the quality of their relationships
• Christians seeking ways to improve their lives
• Lonely people looking for a way to build safe, happy, and lasting relationships

Missing Each Other (2021) is a scientifically sound exploration of human connection. This wide-ranging primer explains how to truly bond with others in our fast-paced world.

• Lonesome people looking to link with others
• Bad communicators seeking better ways to connect
• Anyone interested in the psychology of alienation

Spiritual Partnership (2009) is about the new relationships that can develop when we tap into a deep, invisible consciousness. Becoming “multisensory” and engaging in spiritual partnerships with others will lead you to a life of freedom, joy, and authentic power.

• People interested in spirituality
• Couples looking to strengthen their relationship
• Anyone searching for meaning and purpose in life

The Four Loves (1960) is an exploration of love in its different forms. By tracing how each form is motivated, author C. S. Lewis identifies love’s gifts and shortcomings, and reveals how God’s Divine Love can beautify all our relationships.

• Christians seeking to deepen their connection with God
• Bighearted folk who want to improve their relationships
• Scholars of humanity who want to understand the nature of love

Partnering (2022) looks at what it takes to develop deep connections in both business and personal relationships. Drawing from interviews with some of the world’s most legendary partnerships, including Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, and the collective which saved the ozone, these blinks are a guide through the six principles of connection which can elevate your relationships and make an impact on the world.

• Entrepreneurs
• People who are married or in a romantic partnership
• Anyone seeking to deepen their relationships

Tuesdays with Morrie (1997) chronicles an important relationship in Mitch Albom’s life – the one between himself and his old college professor, Morrie. As they reconnect during the professor’s final months of life, they discuss everything from greed and forgiveness to death and a meaningful life. 

• Anyone who feels lost 
• Individuals actively searching for meaning and purpose
• People contemplating how to live a good life

Making Great Relationships (2023) is a practical guide to building nourishing, healthy, communicative relationships. It shares simple strategies designed to troubleshoot conflict and break unhealthy cycles, as well as best practices for deepening and strengthening positive relationships.

• Couples who feel stuck in an unproductive relationship dynamic
• Friends who feel their needs aren’t met by their social circle
• Colleagues whose interactions are marked by conflict and poor communication

Don Quixote (1605) is widely regarded as the first modern novel. Its claim to fame extends beyond historical novelty. For many readers and critics, it remains the greatest novel of its kind. It tells the story of a man who becomes so enchanted by tales of chivalry that he decides to become a knight-errant – a wandering gallant in the style of Lancelot. The self-styled knight who calls himself Don Quixote and his trusty sidekick Sancho Panza get themselves into all kinds of absurd mischief, but their foolish quest ultimately brings them something precious: an immortal friendship.

• Anyone who’s been put off by the length of Cervantes’s great novel
• Lovers of classic literature, tall tales, and absurd adventures
• Anyone looking to put a face to the famous names Don Quixote and Sancho Panza

The Iliad (c. eighth century BC) is one of the oldest and most important works of Western literature. Attributed to ancient Greek poet Homer, the epic poem recounts the final days of the Greek siege of Troy. At the center of the story is Greek war hero Achilles, who has to beat back the Trojan enemy, struggle against meddling gods, and vie for recognition among his fellow Greeks. 

• Fans of classic literature
• Bookworms and history nerds
• Anyone interested in ancient Western culture

Find Your People (2022) is a Christian woman’s guide to finding, making, and keeping friends. It proposes that God wired us to be in relationships with others – that’s why we crave deep, fulfilling connections. But finding them is harder than ever in today’s hyper-connected yet hyper-lonely world. With a strong sense of commitment and the help of God, you can find your people and keep them too.

• Christians struggling with feelings of loneliness
• Women yearning for deep, lasting sisterhood
• New parents worried about maintaining their social lives

The Secret History (1992) is the gripping tale of a group of Classics students at a New England college who are involved in the murder of a classmate. The novel explores the complex relationships between the friends, and the impact the incident has on their lives.

• People who enjoy psychological fiction
• Fans of the “dark academia” genre
• Anyone with an interest in Classics

The Kite Runner (2003) is narrated by Amir, an Afghan living in the US, as he reflects on his childhood in Kabul, and an incident that changed his life. This best-selling novel is a story of friendship, family, betrayal, and redemption.

• Fathers and sons
• People interested in Afghanistan

Anyone who’s curious about a book that was a New York Times bestseller for 2 years

Of Mice and Men (1937) is a poignant tale that traces an unlikely friendship between two impoverished workers in California during the Great Depression: compact, quick-witted George Milton, and huge, childlike Lennie Small.

• Lovers of classic literature
• Those entranced by the American dream
• People curious about one of Steinbeck’s greats

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (2022) by Gabrielle Zevin tells the story of Sadie and Sam, childhood friends turned creative collaborators and video game designers. The novel charts the tumultuous highs and lows of Sam and Sadie’s friendship against the vividly realized backdrop of the gaming industry at the turn of the 21st century. 

• Anyone intrigued by the idea of creative partnerships
• Anyone with even a passing interest in video games
• Anyone who’s ever had, or lost, a friend

Platonic (2022) is an actionable guide to making and keeping friends as an adult. It combines true stories of friendship with psychological research to give you clear, actionable, and practical advice on building better friendships. 

• People who want to become better friends
• Anyone who’s struggled to make new friends as an adult
• Friends who’d like to strengthen their relationships

Normal People (2018) tells the story of Marianne and Connell, two people who grow close during the final days of secondary school. As they move on to college and careers, the two struggle to make sense of their relationship and their feelings for one another.

• Anyone interested in complex relationships
• Fans of romantic dramas
• Readers curious about one of the most popular books of the 2010s

Trust (2023) is a sensitive and practical guide to this essential part of human relationships. It reveals the deep significance of trust as a factor in our lives and outlines the five essential elements for building and maintaining it.

• Leaders who wish to create trust within organizations
• Those looking to establish deeper personal and familial relationships
• People who want to rebuild trust after it has been broken

A Little Life (2015) follows the lives of four friends in New York City: aspiring actor Willem, moody painter JB, quiet architect Malcolm, and the brilliant, mysterious litigator Jude. Over the years, the four friends grow together, drift apart, find love and success, and struggle with loss and addiction. As enigmatic Jude gradually moves into the center of the narrative, the full extent of his unbearable burden begins to reveal itself. 

• People who enjoy character-driven literature
• Fans of stories about complex relationships 
• Anyone in need of a good cry

We Were Liars (2014) is the suspenseful story of the wealthy, carefree Sinclair family and the tragic event that exposes the cracks in their perfect facade – as told by an unreliable narrator, Cadence Sinclair.

• Lovers of suspenseful fiction and well-crafted romance
• Anyone keen for a glimpse into the lives of the 1 percent
• Avid readers who want the scoop on one of the best-loved young adult contemporary novels

Saved (2023) is the gripping and timely account of a war correspondent’s near-fatal brush with combat in Ukraine in March of 2022 – and the extraordinary effort to save his life and bring him home.

• News hounds looking for an inside scoop on current events
• Thrill-seekers who love a fast-paced story of escape against the odds
• Anyone curious about the lived experience of those who deliver the nightly news

Everything I Know About Love (2018) is Dolly Alderton’s very funny and painfully honest recollection of her early twenties, and all the bad dates, heartbreaks, grimy flat shares, and steadfast friendships this period of her life entailed. In 2022, the book was adapted for television by the BBC.

• People on the cusp of adulthood wondering what their twenties will bring
• Those on the other side of 30, still trying to work out what their twenties meant
• Anyone who’s a romantic at heart

Hamlet (c. 1509-1601) is widely regarded as Shakespeare’s greatest play. A tragedy in five parts, it tells the story of Prince Hamlet, a thinker who must turn to action to avenge his father. It’s not only the finely crafted plot that’s fascinated readers and theatergoers down the centuries, though – Hamlet is also a penetrating study of the meaning of life and death.

• Shakespeare lovers who haven’t gotten around to reading Hamlet
• Those who find Shakespeare’s original language difficult to enjoy
• Fans of Hamlet who want a refresher

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) is often considered a landmark, if controversial, work in the history of American literature. It tells the story of a young teenager who runs away from an abusive, alcoholic father by fleeing in a raft down the Mississippi River. Along the way, he befriends a man running from slavery and becomes a reluctant accomplice to a pair of con artists.

• Fans of classic literature
• People interested in stories about the antebellum South
• Anyone who likes a good coming-of-age story

The Harvard Psychedelic Club (2010) tells the remarkable story of four individuals, Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert, Huston Smith, and Andrew Weil. Each of these men crossed paths at Harvard University in the early 1960s, where experiments were ongoing involving the consciousness-expanding effects of psychedelic substances. Each went on to explore different paths during the counterculture movement that followed.

• Spiritual seekers
• People interested in 1960s culture
• Anyone curious about psychedelic drugs

The Hunger Games (2008) is the first volume of the popular YA fantasy trilogy. In the post-apocalyptic future state of Panem, teenagers participate in a brutal yearly game show where they compete against each other in a deadly obstacle arena. When her sister is drafted for the games, 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her place – not realizing she’ll end up fighting for something bigger than mere survival.

• Sci-fi fans and fantasy aficionados
• Readers who love strong female characters
• Fans of The Hunger Games movies with Jennifer Lawrence

The Little Prince (1943) is the classic allegorical tale about a stranded pilot’s extraordinary encounter with a wise and curious little boy from another planet. As the boy shares his fantastic and poetic journey, he reveals profound lessons and observations regarding life, love, and the importance of looking with our hearts.

• The young at heart who feel lost in the absurdity of the adult world
• Weary souls looking to recapture their misplaced innocence and imagination
• Daydreamers who’d like to enrich their lives with an existential classic

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) is an iconic late-Victorian gothic novel that centers on the young aesthete Dorian, who never seems to age or feel the ill effects of his hedonistic lifestyle, and the supernatural portrait that reveals the truth behind the face Dorian presents to the world.

• Literature lovers wanting to meet one of the canon’s most iconic characters
• Fans of gothic fiction, ready to get acquainted with a classic of the genre
• History buffs who want the scoop on one of the Victorian era’s most scandalous books

How to Be a People Magnet (2001) offers specific techniques for attracting friendships and romantic partners by overcoming social anxieties. Though ostensibly focused on the socially awkward, it will resonate with even the most confident extrovert who is seeking stronger connections with those around them.

• Those looking to overcome shyness and social anxiety
• People hoping to improve their friendships and relationships
• Individuals wanting to become more likable and magnetic

Unbroken Bonds of Battle (2023) is a collection of stories from 11 US veterans. They tell us what drove them to military service, their experience of being on the front lines, and the profound lessons they’ve learned about life, loss, and friendship.

• Military veterans 
• Individuals considering military service 
• Those interested in war history 

Facing Codependence (1989) offers insights and guidance for those seeking to navigate and recover from codependent behaviors. It dives into the complex condition of codependence, identifying five main symptoms, their origins, and their corresponding effects on the individual’s life.

• Individuals navigating relationship challenges
• Self-awareness and personal growth seekers
• Anyone interested in understanding codependency

Designer Relationships (2015) explores the concept of flexible, customized partnerships that evolve beyond traditional monogamy, allowing individuals to craft relationships based on their unique needs and desires. It argues that this approach empowers people to create diverse, mutually agreed-upon relationship structures, ranging from emotional bonds without sexual involvement to various forms of nonmonogamy and kink exploration. 

• Monogamous couples curious about opening their relationship
• Polyamorous people looking for authentic advice on nurturing their relationships
• Anyone interested in sex-positive alternatives to conventional relationship models

Read the Room (2024) is a comprehensive guide to building and sustaining authentic relationships in both personal and professional spheres. It offers personal wisdom and practical strategies for developing empathy, understanding social dynamics, building trust, and improving communication skills – all aimed at fostering deeper, more meaningful connections with others. 

• Anyone struggling with social anxiety or difficulty forming relationships
• Business professionals seeking to improve workplace connections and team dynamics
• Individuals interested in personal growth and self-awareness

The Power of Discord (2020) offers a significant reframing of the role discord plays in developing functional relationships. It reveals how moments of mismatch – when followed by repair – actually build trust, resilience, and deeper connection. Through groundbreaking research including the famous "Still-Face Experiment," it offers a refreshing perspective that will transform how you view conflict, showing that working through discord is not just normal but essential for creating lasting, meaningful relationships.

• Parents who want to build healthy attachment patterns with their children
• Couples ready to transform inevitable conflicts into opportunities for connection
• Perfectionists who are ready to embrace messiness and grow from mistakes

The 5 Apology Languages (2022) explores how people give and receive apologies in different ways, much like they express love differently. It outlines five distinct apology languages and explains how understanding them can lead to more effective conflict resolution and stronger relationships.

• Frustrated partners struggling with repeated misunderstandings
• Reflective leaders aiming to resolve workplace conflicts
• Anyone interested in improving relationships

Bad Friend (2025) explores the fascinating and understudied subject of female friendship throughout history. This survey of friendships between women introduces the reader to Victorian schoolgirl attachments, Depression-era workplace confidantes, feminist consciousness-raising circles, and more. It also offers an incisive analysis of the way mainstream culture has alternately ignored, policed, and celebrated this specific bond.

• History lovers who want to uncover untold stories of female friendship
• Feminists ready to learn how female friendship has shaped resistance and revolution
• Anyone who is, or has, a female friend