9 of the Best Books About Friendship for Adults | Book Riot

15 Best Books About Friendship

15 Best Books About Friendship - Friendship Books to Read With Your Buddies

44 Best Books About Friendship & Best Friends | The Uncorked Librarian

Books About Friendship

How We Keep Each Other Close

Cómo Nos Mantenemos Cerca el Uno del Otro

Big Friendship

Gran Amistad

The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship

La Evolución y Triunfo de la Amistad Femenina Moderna

Text Me When You Get Home

Envíame un Mensaje Cuando Llegues a Casa

Following their college years, a tight-knit group of friends - Malcolm, JB, Jude, and Willem - find themselves navigating post-grad life in New York City. Malcolm is frustrated with his perceived lack of success, JB is confident in his artistic future, and Jude and Willem are just grateful for the chance to make their own way in the world. As time goes on, Jude, in particular, stands out among the group. Despite being cast as the “post-man,” someone beyond race, ethnicity, and perhaps even experience, Jude's narrative reveals a deeply troubled past that includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. To cope, he cuts himself, regularly visiting a doctor to have his wounds treated. His brilliance as a law student attracts mentors, including a professor named Harold.

Harold, taken aback by Jude's intellect and moral arguments, becomes a key figure in his life. Tragedy strikes when Harold's 6-year-old son dies, leading Harold and his wife Julia to make the unusual decision to adopt Jude, then a 30-year-old. The joy of the occasion is slightly marred by the absence of JB, who has upset the group by exploiting Jude's suffering for his art. Jude's past continues to haunt him as he grapples with health issues resulting from his childhood trauma. Eventually, he moves from working in the U.S. Attorney’s office to a wealthy private firm, but struggles to enjoy the financial benefits. His relationship with his friends becomes strained, especially when JB’s mocking of Jude’s disability lands him in the hospital due to drug use.

As the narrative progresses, Jude's life tumbles into further turmoil. He begins a relationship with Caleb Porter, a man who abuses him physically and emotionally. The abuses trigger memories from his past, especially of his time with Brother Luke, a man who abducted him as a child and forced him into prostitution. Overwhelmed by his traumatic past, Jude attempts suicide. Despite the outpouring of support from his friends, Jude's mental health continues to deteriorate, leading to self-harm and a strained romantic relationship with Willem. As his friends reach career heights, Jude grapples with the decision to amputate his legs. Tragedy strikes again when Willem, Malcolm, and others die in a car crash. Jude tries to cope by clinging onto memories of Willem and practicing kindness, but he struggles with restricting his food intake and eventually succeeds in a final suicide attempt.

A Little Life

Una Vida Pequeña

In the mid-20th century Afghanistan, two girls' lives unfold in interspersing narratives. Mariam, an illegitimate child born in the 1950s, lives a secluded life with her mother Nana in a shack provided by her father, Jalil. Despite yearning for her father's acceptance, she is confronted with disappointments, including Jalil breaking a promise to celebrate her fifteenth birthday, igniting her to leave home in search of him. When she returns, she finds her mother has tragically committed suicide. Feeling responsible and seeking solace from her father's rejection, she is ultimately married off to a shoemaker, Rasheed, who is thirty years her senior and is sent to Kabul, marking the end of her contact with her father.

In the same city, in the late 1970s, we meet Laila, born amidst the political chaos and communist revolution. Her narrative is tinged with grief for her brothers' loss in the Afghan resistance against Soviet Russia and her mother's subsequent depression. Laila's solace comes in the form of her father, a university teacher, and Tariq, her protective friend. Their friendship deepens into an intimate relationship, but Tariq's family's sudden departure from war-ridden Kabul leaves Laila devastated. After losing her parents in a rocket attack, she is rescued by Rasheed and Mariam, leading to an unexpected marriage proposal from Rasheed. Now pregnant with Tariq's child, she accepts the proposal and falsely claims Rasheed as the father of her unborn child.

Rasheed's oppressive patriarchal rule, further enabled by the Taliban regime, brings both wives under abusive control. When the truth of Laila's daughter's paternity emerges, Rasheed's aggression escalates. Eventually, Laila bears him a son, but Rasheed's financial instability forces her to place her daughter in an orphanage. The revelation of Tariq's survival sparks a series of events culminating in Mariam killing Rasheed to protect Laila. To safeguard Laila and her children, Mariam takes sole responsibility for the murder and faces a death sentence. Laila, Tariq, and the children find refuge in Pakistan, eventually returning to a restored Kabul. Using the money bequeathed by Mariam's father to her, they renovate the orphanage and Laila, now pregnant, takes a teaching position there, honoring the legacy of the woman who saved her life.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mil soles espléndidos

George and Lennie, contrasting in physique and intellect, are migrant laborers en route to a farm in California for employment. Lennie, a large man with the mind of a child, is devoted to George, who acts as his protector and guide. Troubled by Lennie's tendency to pet soft things too roughly, often causing their accidental death, George takes away a dead mouse he was carrying. Despite sometimes expressing that his life would be smoother without Lennie, their bond of friendship is palpable. They nurture a shared dream of owning a piece of land and raising rabbits, a concept that brings immense joy to Lennie.

Upon reaching the ranch, they encounter various individuals including Candy, an aged handyman with a decrepit dog, and Curley, the boss's antagonistic son with a flirtatious wife. Fearful of their reactions towards Lennie, George concocts a story of them being cousins and takes the lead in conversations. When Curley's wife attempts to flirt with Lennie, George warns him to maintain distance. The other workers, especially Slim, the respected mule driver, find the deep friendship between George and Lennie intriguing. Slim's newborn puppies spark an idea to replace Candy's old dog, which is seen as useless.

The reality of their bond is revealed when George confides in Slim that they aren't cousins but childhood friends. He narrates their past troubles due to Lennie's innocent yet destructive actions. In the meantime, Candy overhears their dream of buying land and offers to contribute his savings to be a part of it. This pact remains a secret among the trio. When Curley, driven by suspicion and anger, fights with Lennie, his hand is crushed, making him a laughingstock. One evening, Lennie inadvertently kills his puppy and then, Curley's wife, leading him to flee to a pre-designated meeting spot by the river. George meets Lennie there and amidst recounting their shared dream, shoots him in the back of the head as a lynch mob approaches. Their secret dies with Lennie, as George lets the others believe that Lennie had the gun first. Only Slim understands the true nature of George's act - a mercy killing, leaving the others puzzled as they leave.

Of Mice and Men

De ratones y hombres

Our protagonist, a 15-year-old lad referred to as Charlie, starts his high school journey as an introverted and observational observer. He documents his experiences in a series of letters penned to an unseen confidant. The narrative is punctuated by two tragic events in Charlie's past - the suicide of his only middle-school friend and the devastating car crash that claimed his cherished Aunt Helen on his seventh birthday. As he navigates high school, he finds encouragement from his English teacher, who nurtures his literary prowess. Additionally, he finds companionship in siblings Sam and Patrick, with whom he forms a close bond, even as he wrestles with an unrequited crush on Sam.

As the school year evolves, so does Charlie, albeit his life grows more complex concurrently. The festive season is particularly challenging, stirring up painful memories of Aunt Helen's death. While literature offers some solace, he grapples with depression and unsettling flashbacks of time spent with his late aunt. Despite these struggles, acceptance from his new friends ushers in a sense of self-acceptance. His relationship with his sister also experiences growth, even as she battles an abusive relationship. When she falls pregnant and opts for an abortion, she leans on Charlie for support.

A dramatic turn of events ensues when, at a party, Charlie is dared to kiss the most beautiful girl in the room and ends up kissing Sam. The incident causes a rift within the group, especially with Mary Elizabeth, his current girlfriend. Meanwhile, Patrick's secret boyfriend, Brad, is sent to rehab after their relationship is exposed, leading to Patrick's assault by Brad's friends. Charlie's intervention during the assault salvages his friendships. As the school year concludes, Charlie grapples with anxiety as his friends prepare to move on to college. A sexual encounter with Sam triggers a distressing memory of his Aunt Helen, which lands him in a mental institution. The story concludes with Charlie coming to terms with his traumatic past and resolves to actively engage in life moving forward.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Las Ventajas de Ser Invisible

In this narrative, Death serves as the storyteller, recounting his encounters with a book thief on three distinct occasions - on a train, at a plane crash, and after a bombing. Each encounter is represented by a color from the Nazi flag - white, red, and black. The book thief, Liesel, loses her brother Werner during their journey to Munich. During his burial, Liesel takes a book from a gravedigger, marking her first theft. She then moves to Molching with her mother to live with foster parents - Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Over time, she adjusts to her new life and forms a bond with Hans, who teaches her to read using the stolen book. Meanwhile, the political climate in Germany worsens with escalating war and domestic challenges. During a book-burning event in honor of Hitler's birthday, Liesel seizes another book.

Liesel begins working for Rosa, delivering laundry to customers, including the mayor's wife, Ilsa Hermann. Liesel is captivated by Ilsa’s vast book collection and is given permission to read them. Concurrently, a German Jew named Max is hiding in Stuttgart in dire conditions. A friend supplies him fake identity documents hidden in Hitler’s autobiography, which enables him to escape to Molching. Max is concealed in the Hubermanns' basement due to Hans' old promise to Max's mother. Max and Liesel form a strong bond, with Max even creating a book for Liesel on the repainted pages of Hitler's autobiography. Over time, Liesel starts secretly stealing books from Frau Hermann's library with the help of her friend, Rudy, after Frau Hermann couldn’t afford Rosa's laundry services anymore.

As the war escalates, Jewish prisoners are publicly paraded through town, headed for the concentration camp at Dachau. Max is forced to leave the Hubermanns' house for his safety after Hans aids a struggling Jewish man and draws suspicion. Rudy and Liesel scatter bread in the streets during a subsequent parade of Jews, while Rosa gives Liesel a book by Max. Hans survives a fatal bus crash during his military service and returns home. After another air raid, Liesel and Rudy discover a dying Allied fighter pilot, marking Death's second encounter with Liesel. Liesel notices Max among the prisoners during a subsequent parade. She confesses to Rudy about hiding Max, a secret she had never shared before. Liesel starts writing her own story in a blank notebook gifted by the mayor's wife. Her neighborhood is bombed one night, leaving Hans, Rosa and Rudy among the casualties. Liesel and Max reunite post-war, after which Liesel migrates to Australia, where she lives a long, fulfilling life. Upon her death, her soul is collected by Death, who presents her with the book she wrote years ago.

The Book Thief

La Ladrona de Libros

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristóteles y Dante descubren los secretos del universo

People We Meet on Vacation

Personas que Conocemos en Vacaciones

A Novel

Una Novela

In Five Years

En Cinco Años

At the age of eleven, Jess Aarons resides in a southern rural region, where he nurtures a love for running. His aspiration is to outrun all his classmates when school reopens, hoping that this might serve as a way to distinguish him from his five sisters and perhaps make his often preoccupied father pay him some attention. Jess grapples with feelings of insecurity about his identity, especially since he enjoys painting – an activity that earns him the unwanted label of being effeminate. His family's struggle with poverty further compounds his ability to discover his true self. To combat this, Jess focuses on winning, which he sees as something he excels at without attracting negative attention. When a race is organized at school, a new neighbour, Leslie Burke, competes with the boys and wins, despite being a girl.

Despite their awkward start, Jess and Leslie quickly become friends, creating a secret haven named Terabithia in the woods beyond the creek. In this world of their own, they escape the harsh realities of life, such as their school peers and Jess's dysfunctional family. The time they spend in Terabithia not only helps them cope with the hardships of life but also cultivates their creativity. Leslie introduces Jess to literature classics and supports his artistic endeavors. Their experiences in Terabithia also involve imaginative games involving territorial defense, pleas to imagined Grove Spirits to stop the rain, and other adventures. 

Their friendship extends beyond Terabithia, with the two friends seeing each other at school and even celebrating holidays together. They exchange gifts supportive of their personal interests, with Jess giving Leslie a puppy and Leslie gifting Jess an art set. Their bond remains strong despite the differing views on religion within their families. Tragedy strikes when Jess is invited to spend a day touring art galleries by his school music teacher, whom he admires. When he returns home, he learns that Leslie drowned while attempting to swing into Terabithia. Stricken with grief, Jess struggles with the loss of his friend and fears reverting back to his old self. However, he realizes he can keep Leslie’s memory alive by continuing their fantasy of Terabithia, crowning his little sister, May Belle, as the new queen.

Bridge to Terabithia

Puente a Terabithia

Renowned artist Elaine Risley revisits her childhood city of Toronto for an art show, prompting her to reminisce about her past. As a child, her family had to move frequently due to her father's work as an entomologist. Upon settling in Toronto when she's eight, Elaine grapples with the complexities of female friendships and the unspoken rules of girlhood. She befriends three girls: Carol, Grace, and Cordelia, who eventually becomes a tormentor rather than a friend. The bullying intensifies when Cordelia throws Elaine's hat into a ravine, causing Elaine to nearly freeze in the icy river while retrieving it. A hallucination of the Virgin Mary helps her gather the will to leave the ravine and, upon returning to school, she dismisses Cordelia's provocations, making new friends, and suppressing those traumatic memories.

Elaine and Cordelia go to the same high school where Elaine flourishes and Cordelia falters. Elaine becomes an achiever with a mean streak, shunning Cordelia who leaves school for failing too many subjects. Elaine pursues her passion for art, taking classes while in university, and starts relationships with her teacher and classmate, Jon. When Cordelia reappears, seeming more stable and successful, Elaine feels a pang of envy and decides to cut Cordelia off for good. Elaine later chooses Jon, marries him after getting pregnant, and continues to paint. She connects with a group of women artists who showcase her work, inadvertently kickstarting her career. Cordelia's suicide attempt and plea for help falls on deaf ears as Elaine focuses on her deteriorating relationship, resulting in her moving to Vancouver and marrying Ben.

In present times, Elaine roams Toronto, feeling displaced by its transformation. Her art exhibition brings forth old emotions, especially her resentment towards Cordelia who doesn't show up at the event. The disappointment leads Elaine to revisit the ravine from her childhood, where she imagines seeing a young Cordelia. She acknowledges their shared feelings of fear and loneliness, offering her childhood tormentor the same advice she received years ago - to go home. Her journey ends with a beautiful moment of witnessing elderly women playing cards during her flight, making Elaine miss an old age she would never experience with Cordelia.

18 Best Friendship Books of All Time

Big Friendship

How We Keep Each Other Close

Text Me When You Get Home

The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship

A Little Life

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Of Mice and Men

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Book Thief

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

People We Meet on Vacation

In Five Years

A Novel

Bridge to Terabithia

Cat's Eye

My Brilliant Friend

Neapolitan, Book 1

Swing Time

A Novel

Marley & Me

Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

Happy and You Know It

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

A Novel

A Man Called Ove

A Novel

Sources

What To Read Next

18 Best Friendship Books of All Time

Big Friendship

How We Keep Each Other Close

Text Me When You Get Home

The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship

A Little Life

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Of Mice and Men

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Book Thief

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

People We Meet on Vacation

In Five Years

A Novel

Bridge to Terabithia

Cat's Eye

My Brilliant Friend

Neapolitan, Book 1

Swing Time

A Novel

Marley & Me

Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

Happy and You Know It

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

A Novel

A Man Called Ove

A Novel

Sources

What To Read Next

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