Ups, Downs, and Everything
In-Between: 11 Great Books About Female Friendships
by Jennifer Ridgway
Friendship is an important part of life; studies show that having friends (true friends) helps us in many ways. Of course, what friendship means evolves as we grow. From our childhood friends, who were really our best playdates, to our high school friends, who helped us navigate dating and zits and homework, to, now, our mom friends, who commiserate with us, provide a shoulder to cry on about marriage and family, and give us advice on parenting (only when asked, though!).
Below are a few books that celebrate the joy (and heartbreak) of friendship.
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The Girls from Corona del Mar
Available from:This was one of my favorite books the year it came out. The story of two friends, Lorrie Ann and Mia, who grow up together and then grow apart, may not seem like a title that should be on a list about friendship. However, it is also important to remember that sometimes as we grow and change, our friendships do as well.
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Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons
Available from:The women of Freesia Court form an unofficial book club, which becomes their lifeline over forty years of marriage, children, grandchildren, staying home, starting careers, and everyday life. Landvik’s book is filled with humor and heart.
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The Joy Luck Club
Available from:Tan’s brilliant novel explores the friendship forged by four Chinese immigrants when they move to San Francisco. Meeting to talk over mahjong, they choose to help lift each other up rather than sink into their individual tragedies. Tan also explores the intricate bonds of mother-daughter relationships.
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The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
Available from:Friends since they weathered high school in the 1960s, Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean, the “Supremes,” have been through everything together — marriage and children, ups and downs. However, the present proves to be the most challenging. This novel is a true celebration of women’s friendships.
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
Available from:Hosseini has penned three stunning novels, all beautifully written. This novel centers on Miriam and Laila, two Afghani women brought together in horrific circumstances. Despite being a generation apart, they form a friendship that is inspiring and life-saving.
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Swing Time
Available from:As children, both Tracey and Aimee dream of being dancers, but only one goes on to do so. Zadie Smith weaves a graceful saga of ambition and heritage, class and race, and reminds us that the most potent of friendships are never truly forgotten.
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Rules for Visiting
Available from:When Jane gets an unexpected leave from her job as a university gardener, she decides to spend a year on what she calls “a female Odyssey” to visit four old friends. A delightful story of self-discovery, it’s also a gentle call to revitalize friendships outside technology.
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Before Everything
In Victoria Redel’s bittersweet novel, four lifelong friends come together when one of their own — the trailblazer of the group — enters hospice. The women recall a lifetime of adventures, mistakes, and turning points as they contemplate a future without Anna.
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The Animators
Available from:Mel and Sharon have been best friends and creative partners since college. They’re finally having their moment in the male-dominated field of animation after their first full-length feature makes a splash in the indie film world. But can their friendship handle the stress of success?
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The Last Year of the War
In 1943, teenagers Elise Sontag and Mariko Inoue are unlikely friends who meet in an unexpected place: a Texas-based internment camp. The girls come to rely on each other in this strange and lonely space — until a twist of fate pulls them apart again.
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Perennials
A striking coming-of-age novel, Perennials is steeped in longing, secrets, and nostalgia. Rachel and Fiona used to be campers at Camp Marigold; now, they’re back as counselors. But their relationship has grown complicated as they’ve entered womanhood, and this summer will be anything but simple.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2019.