Girlfriends

by Carmen Renee Berry

As important as friends are to women--essential, after all, to their identity as human beings--other roles in their lives get most of the ink: their lovers, spouses, children, and family. Girlfriends lovingly--and somewhat exhaustively--spotlights female comradeship. This book (which screams, "Buy me as a gift!") is simply a collection of women speaking about aspects of their female friendships to the indefatigable interviewer-slash-authors. Major topics of the book include girlhood adventures, friendships during transitions such as marriage and children, remembering friends, et cetera. In an odd little postscript, Girlfriends lists methods of female bonding such as theme parties, things with quilts and teacups, and other rituals. After all the words that precede it, such a section seems like gilding the lily.

Relationships with lovers (male or female) thrum with a sexual undertone that works against the special distanced intimacy of friendship. As Girlfriends never tires of pointing out, only another woman knows what it is like to be a woman. A powerful antidote to alienation, friendships are a prime ingredient in a woman's life well-lived.

Genres: Nonfiction, Womens, Relationships, Self Help, Chick Lit, Humor, History

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Carmen Renee Berry, New York Times Bestselling Author, is the creator of the PROLIFIC AUTHOR WRITING SYSTEM. She has authored, co-authored and ghost written 26 books in the past 27 years. Now, as a book writing coach, she teaches authors how to quickly write top-quality books that transform the lives of their readers. With over 30 years in publishing and book promotion, she has appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs including Oprah, Montel, the Gail King Show and Sally Jesse Raphael, and appeared on newscasts on CNN, NBC, CBS, and ABC. Her story has been featured in People Magazine, USA Today, Newsweek and countless newspapers across the country. If you are interested in writing a transformational self-help book or memoir, please contact her at www.carmenreneeberry@gmail.com.

Reviews

[Christina]

just reading this to torture myself and hopefully give me some clue as to how to make close friends. found it at the thrift store calling out to me.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. A walk down memory lane ensued, as I myself thought of different friendships that I have had and still cherish, as well as those I stepped away from. It was an interesting proposition to look at my relationships with women over the years, and to understand a bit more about why I had them, why I lost them, or why I kept them.
I've been a traveller since childhood; Chronologically, here is how it went:
My father was in the Canadian Army and we moved from Montreal to London, Ontario when I was 7; to Oromocto (i.e. Camp Gagetown, NB) when I was 10; to Soest, Germany when I was 13; and back to Montreal when I was 16.
Then, after I met my partner (Wayne) we moved from Montreal to North Bay, Ontario; Temiscaming, QC; Sarnia, Ontario; Toronto, ON; Montreal; Yanbu, Saudi Arabia; Montreal; Sarnia, ON; Balikpapan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia; Sarnia, ON; Chatham, Ontario.
And then, on my own I moved from Chatham, Ontario to Toronto, Ontario; Chatham, ON; Sarnia, ON; London, ON; and here I stay for now over 23 years.
I have never had problems making friends, lots of practice on it over the years. But keeping friends is another proposition.
I enjoyed this book. It clarified some things for me. It's not a hard read, and it is a book that makes you appreciate your friendships with women.
Reclaim your girlfriends! Read this book!

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm extremely grateful to have a wonderfully diverse group of girlfriends. I found my mind wondering to them instead of reading the stories in the book. But it is nonetheless a worthy topic. Talk to your girlfriends and let them know how much they mean to you!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection of the ways in which we love our girlfriends, Invisible Bonds Enduring Ties is a book I hope every woman has the privilege to identify with. Authors Berry and Traeder capture the facets of how and why we love the women in our life and how they can impact our lives. From roommates to childhood friends, those next door to those across the world, women we speak to multiple times per day or once a year, weddings to cancer treatments, readers can smile reflecting on the connections we share with the women around us. MAny times I felt that the authors truly captured the nuances of my friendships and what makes them so important and unique. Many smiles and sweet giggles were produced reading this book as I identified with the women in this book. A recommendation to any woman who can relate with the unmistakable power of our girlfriends. Thank you, Sisterfriend, for the wonderful birthday gift!!

[Maria Murray · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to give this book a chance...but couldn't get past page 40. There is only so much you can read about other people's friendships. And each is only a couple of paragraphs. It's not like even shore stories.

[L · Rating 1 out of 5]

highly gendered, very mushy.

[Kaylani · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was so full of cliche that the stories that were good were drowned out.

Not. Worth. Reading.

[Eryani N. Yulita · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I was confused how many stars I should give for this book. I mean I honestly think its a good book, its just not what I was expecting. I was expecting each friendship story to be told in details to represent the faces of friendship. But, authors decided to put several stories of a friendship to be one for each subtitle and I find it less interesting that way.

I love my girlfriends and I thought this book is perfect to read as it is something that would remind me of them. What I like about this book is how it tells stories and some quotes that I could relate. I have several closed girlfriends and they have been with me through thick and thin, even when I am not always completely open to them. But, they are the ones I will ask for an opinion when I feel troubled. We are separated by distance, our paths may not cross for the longest time, but when we get back together its like no time has passed.

One of my favorites: "my husband is my best friend. I have great relationship with him and I do not know what I would do without him. Nonetheless, he does not replace my girlfriends. I need them just as much as I always did. It is hard to explain how my relationship with my husband differs from my girlfriends..."

[soda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this at a library sale so I thought maybe it was a story or collection of short stories. Nope. First of all it's from the 90s, which isn't bad, per se. However, in hindsight it's quite clear how the feminazis, power hungry single mothers, and gender confused children of today became so prominent: by women like the authors pushing this crap. From the very first page they complain about how women are defined by their relationships to men: someone's wife, daughter, etc. Well, you ARE someone's daughter, wife, neighbor, etc. But if you feel that's what defines you then YOU have a self esteem issue, no one else.

The book itself doesn't even talk about enduring friendships. It barely discusses in one tiny paragraph one woman's "friendship/relationship" to another woman. There's no beginning, middle, and end to any of it. Good thing I only paid $1 for this.

[Cortney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful little read on what friends can look like. Wouldn't make it though this disaster called life without them!!! Loved the quote, "What they really mean is that she's not making anyone uncomfortable that she's going through anything different or usual or difficult. I'd rather be real, and a part of me inside says, 'oh, you're breaking all the rules', and then I watch how it does open up the passages." It's in the weirdness, the uncomfortable moments, that define real friendship. Who sticks around for that? Who celebrates your ugly, raw, real, imperfect, scarred, perceived "wrong", afraid, inconvenient SELF? Those are your people. Those are who deserve your friendship, loyalty, love.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice book with lots of anecdotes, both funny and touching, about friendships between women and our need for the support of other women. Some of the stories seem familiar and remind us of our own lives and others make me imagine a lifetime of stories about the women I am reading about. Would be a nice gift for a friend!

[Lori Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just adding to my list. My reading of this book was perfect timing as I was about to enjoy a wonderful girls weekend. I laughed, I cried, I could relate to many parts of this book. You can pick it up & read a bit & come back later and not have to remember what happened. I see it as a book of many short stories.

[Arwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I often use quotes from this book when I'm giving talks. While it is a great source for sound bites, it doesn't have much meat. It's really just a bunch of anecdotes from different women on friendship. It's very feminist in viewpoint, and doesn't carry any other consistent theme about friendships.

[Marsha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is basically a whimsical journey of feminism through the adventures of random girlfriends. The book goes into vague stories of tons of women you know nothing about and the authors expect you to care and feel motivated by the stories. In other words, this book is terrible!

[Ann Branch]

I liked the premise but the women’s stories seemed more anecdotal because of the authors’ prose - no one tells stories with such eloquent language. Of course it was published in 1995 and I read it in 2021 - 26 years later ...most likely impacted by my life experiences especially in the workplace!

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely for a certain personality. In between the sappy friendship stories (all the women were the same). This did give a little gem here and there that just gives me more people to blame for my problems ;)

[Diane Eskridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love my girl friends and this book celebrates those unique relationships. All the stories are reminders of the many journeys we walk through together.

[Scott Haraburda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written book of short stories (about 3 pages each). Contains some valuable insight into female relationships.

[Vicki L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was gifted to me by a dear friend some 25 years ago. I remember liking it at the time but today many of the essays feel dated and trite. Times have changed I guess.

[Helene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book got dull very quickly. The stories don't have anough depth to them.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing like Girlfriends to laugh and drink with , but a dog holds your life inside them Forever🐾❤️

[Nancy Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gave up on book. Thought it would be more stories than psychology

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice small read about the bonds of female friendship.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. Just a bunch of shorts stories.

[Brigid Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not good but also not bad, just very dated. I found on the shelf at the convent and it took me almost the whole year to read 😂

[Audrey Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely bits with some redundancy...best read in smaller doses over time.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short interviews with women about the importance of girlfriends, how they help each other, become found family, and share life’s experiences.

[Donna Covell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was a novel - it is more of a history of female relationships - interesting.

[Genese · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice quick easy read with a great story