Friendship

This is the first in a series of books, “Vices and Virtues” published by Yale University Press. The author is a philosopher who has written thirty other books. This book is a history of the philosophy of friendship and as such, is disjointed and difficult to follow; the organization of the basic elements seems rather chaotic. By contrasting different philosophies of friendship without background on the basic tenets of that philosophy the reader may become confused. Also, because of this approach, the woman’s side of friendship is basically ignored. The author roots friendship in male love which he describes as more than platonic friendship. One of the more interesting parts of the book is the description of eulogies delivered by artist-friends from the book, The Company They Kept. This reader is excited to read this since as the author admits, “their variety throws more light on the diversity and possibilities of friendship than a treatise like this one can.” The book is most delightful when the author cites true life friendships such as George Eliot and G.H. Lewes. These friendships truly brought out the best in the other person. This book is a good gift choice for your philosophically studied friend.