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Lamar Odom ‘Feeling Amazing’ in Rehab, Ready to Fight DUI Ca…

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Lamar Odom
‘Feeling Amazing’ in Rehab One Week Before Checkout

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Never Cry While Cutting Onions Again—This Science-Backed Tri…

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Refrigerating your onions for an hour or two before use can help minimize the tear-inducing effects of the vegetable.

I was standing at the kitchen counter preparing dinner. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I sniffled and attempted to wipe my eyes with my sleeves. I wasn’t crying over spilled milk, nor was I crying because of a broken heart. I was crying because I was chopping an especially pungent onion—one with an aroma so powerful you could smell it across my apartment. So many recipes start with onions that if you cook at all, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the unpleasant, tear-inducing effects of an onion. But why does this happen, and is there any way to minimize the vegetable’s irritating effects on our tear ducts?

When onions experience cell damage—such as when they’re cut—their cells release alliinase, an enzyme that produces sulfur compounds. In his book On Food and Cooking, food science writer Harold McGee notes that this is the vegetable’s defense mechanism. According to McGee, plants “compensate for their immobility with a remarkable ability for chemical synthesis” and “produce thousands of strong-tasting, sometimes poisonous warning signals” to discourage predators from attacking them. Those sulfur compounds released by the onion are intended to “annoy and repel” their attackers by irritating their mouths, nasal passages, and eyes.

These compounds are especially potent at room temperature. In his cookbook Veg-Table, Serious Eats contributor Nik Sharma writes, “The enzyme alliinase produces its most potent chemicals at warmer temperatures; cold temperatures will reduce the activity of this enzyme.” So to minimize the tear-inducing effects of an onion, Sharma simply refrigerates his onions for an hour or two before using them.

I read about the method in Veg-Table shortly after the book was released in 2023, and was curious to test it out myself—so I refrigerated an onion for an hour before slicing it. Miraculously, I did not shed a single tear. Although I was skeptical, I am now a converted believer who will never cut an onion without first refrigerating it. I should note that this is entirely anecdotal; I have not scientifically or methodically tested it against other techniques, but in my personal experience, it has proven to work extremely well. Onions may have once annoyed and repelled me, but thanks to this simple trick for reducing kitchen tears, they no longer do.

June 2025

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A safe space for girls who’ve faced sexual violence : NPR

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Illustration of teens and young women in a support group.

“Let’s listen to one another.”

That’s what the word toyokana means in Lingala, a local language in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the Toyokana Center in the capital city of Kinshasa, listening is their mission. It’s a facility for girls to come to be treated after sexual assault — and also to be heard.

“Creating this kind of a safe space was really the main demand from these girls,” says Loa Falone, a social worker at the center.

After years of working with young girls, Falone has seen that many cases of sexual violence occur within families. “A girl who was raped by her father won’t know in whom she can confide, whether her mom or someone else, she just won’t know if she can feel safe to do that,” says Falone. “There was really a strong desire to have a safe space where these girls will be heard, protected and taken care of.”

The idea for the Toyokana center grew out of a 2022 gathering of 100 girls and young women from all corners of the DRC and several other African countries. For three days, the participants — ages 13 to 24 — discussed the challenges they faced. Sexual violence kept coming up.

“Almost all of those girls were either survivors of sexual violence or they were in very close proximity,” says Ramatou Toure, chief of child protection at UNICEF DRC who helped organize the girls forum. “I’m talking sister, mother, cousin of a child who had been abused.”

That anecdotal sense is backed up by a report from UNICEF that suggests the problem has only grown worse. “Sexual violence against children has been on the rise for the past four years,” says Toure. Last year, more than 45,000 cases of sexual violence against children were recorded, she says, though the true toll is likely much higher because of a reluctance to come forward or just not having an adult they feel they can confide in.

NPR sought comment from the DRC government about the report, but they did not answer questions in time for publication.

In large part, ongoing conflict in parts of eastern DRC is driving the increase, says Toure. Fighting has forced about 7 million people from their homes to camps where rape is common, she says. “But even in provinces where there is no conflict, we find sexual violence.”  

Here, as elsewhere, urban poverty and child marriage contribute to the problem. Many perpetrators go unpunished too, says Toure, creating a sense of helplessness that leads to silence.

“There is this sense that they will not be able to come forward, they will not be able to speak,” says Toure. “Unfortunately, it also means that they will not be able to get the services that they need.”

A safe space

That’s where Toyokana Center comes in. It’s cited in the UNICEF report as an example of a positive step the government has taken to address the problem.

Some of the girls who come to the center need direct medical attention for physical trauma. Psychological support is also available for victims who develop severe depression, post-traumatic stress and anxiety. Going through that alone can be incredibly isolating, says Annie Kikoli, a therapist in Goma, DRC. 

A child who’s been raped “tells herself that, well, I endured this event, so that means I’m not like other people. I’ve lost my abilities. The child starts to have a negative image of herself,” she says. “The more the person stays isolated, the more they start developing abnormal behavior.”

The staff at Toyokana try to intervene before that happens. But it can be challenging.

“There are children who are so quiet, they have a really hard time saying who hurt them and what happened,” says Falone. During group sessions where girls talk about their experiences, the staff pay close attention to those who aren’t talking. “Maybe we notice a girl who reacts differently in that moment, or her eyes get all bloodshot,” she says, “We approach her discreetly and take her to another room where she opens up.”

Some of the girls are dealing with other challenges, in addition to experiencing sexual violence, which can make treatment harder too. Toyokana supervisor Georgette Uma recalls one girl who came through their doors after multiple sexual assaults. In addition to being severely traumatized, she couldn’t read or write.

At the center, staff offer informal help with those skills. “She learned how to read, how to write. This strengthened her,” says Uma. “Today, she’s become a model for the girls who are still on the streets.”

More help is needed

Since opening, Toyokana’s two centers in Kinshasa have treated over 100,000 girls who’ve experienced or been exposed to sexual violence. But Uma says so much more support is necessary to meet the scale of need across the country. “It would be better if our work were widespread,” she says, especially in areas of conflict.
.
But the resources to expand this kind of work are shrinking. Last year’s drastic funding foreign assistance cuts by the U.S. and other Western countries essentially halved funding for clinics like Toyokana in DRC, says UNICEF’s Toure. According to her, the amount dropped from $18 million in 2024 to $10 million in 2025. “We have seen a lot of the local programs for sexual violence being disrupted or completely stopped in terms of funding,” she says. 

“This is quite a pity, because what we’ve seen in the areas where there is services is that if we come together, it’s possible to prevent and it’s also possible to actually respond to sexual violence,” she says.

Peace in eastern DRC would go a long way toward keeping kids safe from sexual violence, says Toure, as would strengthening the country’s criminal justice system to make perpetrators accountable.

Solving those larger structural problems could take years. But smaller-scale efforts, like Toyokana, can still make a difference, says Toure. “It’s not a hopeless case, on the contrary.” 

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Time, Memory, And The Home We Remember

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Do you ever wonder about the futures that never were for yourself? Do you catch yourself sometimes pondering what could have been a different outcome of a decision years ago? Do you ever imagine the choices you’d make from an option you never thought you had? In The Home We Remember by Hamnah Shahid (and additional design work by Gwendolyn Kelly, Cai Kagawa, Amir/Nada Alami, and Sea Thomas) we as people are asked to play exactly as ourselves, all possible versions of ourselves, including the “what could have been” of our lives. How many versions of you exist? How many could have?

The cover of The Home Remember. It has a black to dimly lit background featuring a burning house with a person with brown skin holding a photograph of a door in front of the burning home. The photo invokes a sense of nostalgia.

About The Home We Remember

The Home We Remember, published by Frivolous Bear Studios in conjunction with Tendervicious Studios, is a tarot driven TTRPG ashcan that embodies magical realism. It centers Player Characters as a Tragedy befalls their town and Home. You cannot prevent this tragedy from coming, you can only hope it’s not as bad this time around. The tragedy has happened before and will happen again. The game states at the very beginning that “Time is Space and Space is Time”. The past, present and future are distinctions that only we as people living in a linear time and three dimensions need to describe our own life experiences. Within The Home We Remember these dimensions are not needed as all of them are one. Let’s dive deeper now…

Mechanical And Visual Language

The Introduction page to The Home We Remember. It has three paragraphs of yellow text on a dark blue-green background.

One player takes on the role of ARCHITECT, embodying the Town, Home, and NPCs of the game while the Player Characters play to discover each version of themselves and who they will be, for better or for worse. You create your characters by creating TETHERS, symbols and metaphors about your PC. Flora and fauna, an item, a scent, a sound, and a time of day (morning, afternoon, sunrise, or quitting time), and finally drawing an ANCHOR tarot card. With the Anchor you are asked to contemplate the meaning and symbolism of the tarot card, all it is, can be, and what you struggle against. At this point, the game asks you to look in the mirror and ask yourself four questions: Who are you? What is your strength and how is it a weakness? What is your weakness and how is it a strength? What is hidden, unfinished, or broken beyond repair in your life? The final question stands as your character’s crux of their non-linear story arc in the game. You then create Relationships with other PCs, NPCs with all the complexities that they deserve, and three Core Memories. After this, the game begins at its end: The Tragedy. While I have not had time to play out my own Tragedy yet, I hope to soon enough.

My biggest critiques of The Home We Remember are two fold: first being layout and second being related to the ashcan nature of the game. The layout is beautiful, it has a strong visual language, knows what it wants to say and how to say it. It’s not easy to read. Some of the lines take up most of the page in single columns, the rare double columns also take up large parts of the page. Some pages have beautiful portraits to break these paragraphs up but for the most part, this game can feel like a very long read for what is ultimately an otherwise breezy one. While the book requires you to sit and think about what you’ve read (which is a positive), for me it felt like Sisyphus pushing his boulder to try and read through this otherwise gorgeous game. Art in certain places can help break up these pages to make them easier to read. Secondly, the fact that Actual Play is the main method of learning to play The Home We Remember right now is something I see as holding this game back. The Home We Remember needs to stand on its own outside of an Actual Play of experimental mechanics that may not end up in the final version. If someone has to learn the game using an Actual Play, I tend to view it as an accessibility issue and it’s especially true for folks who don’t have stable access to the internet. I can also can see issues appearing where groups can’t agree on how the game should be run in terms of mechanics. Personally, I think Actual Play should not be the first line in learning a game, it should be secondary or tertiary. Supportive but not the guiding star. Actual Play shouldn’t come first in terms of TTRPG design. Using Actual Play as a part of teaching The Home We Remember, how to play and run the game, should not be the main way of learning a game that presents itself as a mechanical example of an almost complete piece. The Home We Remember sings and I want to watch it soar.

An Ashcan and Art Piece in Progress

The Phases of Play page of The Home We Remember. The page is dark teal with light blue and some salmon pink text.

The Home We Remember as mentioned before is an ashcan, or mostly finished enough to be played in a satisfying manner, but the entire game has not been released. Only five cards from the Major Arcana and twenty from the Minor Arcana are in the ashcan and, while all prompts have been written, it may take a little more of our linear time to have a full release. This does not detract from my experience of reading the game and in fact makes me want to write and explore my own version of “what could be”. It’s enough to get through several sessions, from my estimate three to five of them for most groups, and have an ending to a game that is not yet fully released. To me, this feels rather fitting given this game and what it accomplishes in the space it has. The Home We Remember is a game that appears hard to learn and hard to master and it may well be for some. However, I see it as something that adds to the game as opposed to a detriment. Trying to figure out this game for me was like trying to untangle my own relationships from who I am. You can’t do it, you must accept that this game (and you) exist as a part of a whole system of other people you know exist and you’ve never met that made this possible.

On “What If?”

“The act of remembering is writing another version of our personal histories coloured by who we are when we pick up the pen.” – The Home We Remember.

“If is the biggest word in the English language.” – my father, his father, and likely his father too.

The human brain is not infallible. It forgets, overwrites, misremembers. Every time you try to recall a memory something small, minute, seemingly unimportant is changed. As this goes on, whole memories are changed little by little in detail until it is no longer what it was. This is also true for people as they are. When we look back at ourselves and what we have done, we are no longer that person. We have hopefully grown and changed for the better. Sometimes we don’t, but we have changed nonetheless. The Home We Remember asks us to look at the what could have happened, the what may happen, what has happened, and the what if’s of our lives, extends a hand, and asks us to explore it together. The Home We Remember is a game with a heart that screams, beats, and bleeds all at once. It’s beautiful, touching, and haunting. It’s a tender ache in the mind and memory. I love The Home We Remember because it is attempting to create itself. Now, go find you and all the versions of yourself. 

Text from a page of The Home We Remember. It is light blue text on a dark teal background. It reads

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  • A photo of Irving B. He is a white trans masculine person in a purple patterned shirt.

    Irving B. AKA Jellyfishlines (he/him) is a queer and disabled TTRPG designer, layout artist, podcast (co)-host, and Actual Play performer.

    He holds an English B.A. with a Creative Writing minor with some published poems under his name (but that’s for you to find). His favorite types of TTRPGs are horror, mystery, and those with emotional storytelling at the helm.

    You can find Irving everywhere online by going to jellyfishlines.carrd.co and hitting “Contact”, or pop in on Bluesky at jellyfishlines.itch.io.

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Hiking Essentials Under $100  – Two Monkeys Travel Group

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Many travelers think hiking requires expensive equipment, but that’s not true. You can build a full kit of essential hiking gear for under $100 per item and feel safe, ready, and comfortable on every trail. This guide helps you choose affordable items that still work well, even for long hikes or weekend getaways.

More digital nomads and OFWs are discovering hiking because it clears the mind, reduces stress, boosts productivity, plus it’s cheap to do. A peaceful trail is sometimes all you need after a long week of remote work or overseas duties. Good gear helps you enjoy the outdoors without worry.

This year, 2026 brings better materials, lighter designs, and budget-friendly versions of popular gear. Below is the best list you can use to upgrade your hiking setup.

Why These Budget Picks Still Perform Like Premium Gear

Because price does not equal performance, what actually matters is choosing hiking tools that are durable, lightweight, safe, and comfortable.

When gear checks all 4 boxes, it performs just as well as expensive brands in real-world conditions!

And in each item below, I added personal notes so you can picture how they perform in real adventures.

My Top 11 Essential Hiking Gear Under $100

Footwear & Comfort

Budget-Friendly Trail Runners (Lightweight and Fast-Drying)

These lightweight trail runners will change your entire hiking experience. They are flexible, breathable, and rarely need a long break-in period. They also dry quickly, which is a huge help during wet hikes.

Why I love them: They help prevent foot fatigue and make long walks so much easier. Just pick the color and design you like — they’re all great.

Best for: Beginners and casual hikers.

Merino Wool Hiking Socks (3-Pair Pack)

I love these soft Merino Wool hiking socks! They keep your feet dry and help reduce blisters. They offer better comfort than cotton because they pull moisture away from the skin.

Many hikers say: Merino socks solved 90% of their blister problems, and I agree.

Best for: Anyone prone to blisters.

Navigation & Safety

Rechargeable Outdoor Headlamp (Hands-Free Lighting)

It’s my favorite easy slip-on outdoor headlamp! You’ll be hands-free when you walk through shaded areas or finish late. Choose this rechargeable model with long battery life.

Best for: night hikes and shaded forest trails

Compact First Aid Kit for Hikers

It’s not surprising to get small cuts or blisters during the hike. Even a short easy trail can cause unexpected scrapes. So I carry around this portable basic first aid kit. It gives me peace of mind.

Baseplate Hiking Compass (Trusty Backup Navigation)

Yes, you can use digital maps if you like, but batteries die. And isn’t that such a hassle? I suggest this more efficient and simple hiking compass. It never fails you and can work anywhere!

Best for: safety backup during long hikes

Ultralight Emergency Bivvy (Compact Survival Shelter)

This ultralight emergency bivvy sack recently became my new best friend! It’s a waterproof shelter that can save you. In emergencies, it can be used as a sleeping bag.

Best for: sudden weather changes and emergencies

Hydration & Warmth

Water Filter Bottle or Squeeze Filter

We need water all the time, but we can’t carry a lot on a hike. So I find this portable water filter bottle very useful. It lets you drink from rivers or streams. You carry less weight and still stay hydrated.

Best for: long hikes and hot days

Hydration Reservoir

No need to take water breaks. Take this hydration reservoir. It’s easy to carry and fits fine inside your backpack. The small tube lets you sip water while walking.

Best for: staying hydrated consistently

Best Lightweight Fleece Jacket (Men’s and Women’s Fit)

One of my favorite “always-bring” layer, a fleece hiking jacket gives warmth without being bulky. It works well for early mornings, windy hikes, and changing weather.

Choose your fit – there’s a men’s version and a women’s version.

Best for: all-weather layering

General Gear

Adjustable Trekking Poles (Pair)

Trust me and hike with these adjustable trekking poles! They help you keep your balance and protect your knees. They also help you move faster on uneven ground. And since they’re aluminum, they are strong and affordable. They come in either blue or black colors.

Best for: reducing strain on steep climbs or descents

Best Multi-Tool Pocket Knife

This multi-tool pocket knife is a simple but powerful tool to have! It handles basic repairs, food prep, and emergencies. It is small, light, and always worth carrying. Don’t hike without one.

Best for: emergency fixes on the trail

More Great Hiking Gear Under $100 (Extra Picks to Level Up Your Pack!)

If you want to upgrade your hiking kit even more, I recommend these extra tools that I love to bring as well. They’re lightweight, beginner-friendly, and super useful on any trail!

What to Avoid When Buying Budget Gear

Keep an eye out for:

  • shoes with stiff soles
  • cotton socks (lead to blisters)
  • weak zippers or straps
  • very heavy jackets

These may be cheap, but they can make your hike harder or uncomfortable.

How to Prepare for Your First or Next Hike

  1. Pick the Right Trail – Choose an easy or moderate path if you’re new. Short loops and steady climbs are good picks.
  2. Check the Weather and Trail Conditions – Good weather makes the hike safer. Try to avoid muddy or stormy days.
  3. Pack the Core Essentials – Use the list above. Keep your load light. Focus on comfort and safety.
  4. Stay Connected While Traveling – If you travel often, tools like Eskimo eSIM help you stay online, even in rural areas.
  5. Protect Your Health – Many travelers use Ekta traveling health insurance before exploring outdoor spots. It gives extra confidence when hiking alone or in new countries.
  6. Learn Basic Skills – A few minutes of practice with a compass helps a lot. You can also learn simple phrases in other languages using Rosetta Stone, especially when hiking in foreign destinations.
  7. Tell Someone Your Plan – Share your start time, route, and estimated return. A good tip for when anything happens. This keeps you secure and safe.

Your Next Adventure Starts With the First Step

Hiking is simple, healing, and life-changing. You only need a few pieces of essential hiking gear to feel ready for the trail. Once you start exploring, you’ll see how fresh air, green views, and steady steps can reset your mind.

Start small. Choose one item. Build your kit slowly. Your next adventure is waiting, and the path is already there.

Your body, mind, and future self will thank you for the gift. Make your first purchase today!

FAQs

Can beginners use these budget hiking items?

Yes. These items are safe and comfortable for first-time hikers.

How much water should I bring?

Bring 1–2 liters. Use a water filter for longer hikes.

Are trail runners better than boots?

Trail runners are lighter and more comfortable. Boots work better on rough terrain.

Do I need trekking poles?

Not always, but they help reduce knee strain and improve balance.

What should I wear on a cold trail?

Wear a base layer, fleece layer, and light jacket. Avoid heavy cotton.



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Henrike Naumann, Germany’s Pick for Venice Biennale, Dead at…

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Henrike Naumann, Germany’s Pick for Venice Biennale, Dead at 41


























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How to Navigate Steps in Conflict Management Effectively

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Steering conflict management effectively requires a structured approach that prioritizes communication and resolution. Start by recognizing the signs of conflict early, as this can prevent larger issues from developing. Encouraging open dialogue among team members creates an atmosphere where concerns can be voiced without hesitation. Implementing clear conflict resolution policies is essential to guide your team’s responses. But how do you guarantee these strategies adapt to your specific workplace dynamics?

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

  • Encourage active listening to understand all perspectives and uncover the root causes of the conflict.
  • Establish clear communication policies and regular check-ins for open dialogue among team members.
  • Implement transparent conflict resolution policies to foster trust and empower employees to address issues independently.
  • Utilize face-to-face meetings for discussions to minimize miscommunication and misunderstandings.
  • Monitor employee feedback and metrics to identify patterns and continuously improve conflict management strategies.

Understanding Workplace Conflicts

Understanding Workplace Conflicts

Grasping workplace conflicts is vital, especially since they often stem from differing interests and opinions among employees. Conflicts can arise from personality clashes, cultural differences, or competing objectives, and they frequently lead to misunderstandings and friction.

Poor communication plays a significant role in escalating these issues, making effective dialogue critical for conflict resolution. Comprehending the stages of conflict resolution can help you navigate these challenges more effectively.

To manage conflicts, you can follow the 6 steps to resolve conflict: identifying the problem, recognizing each party’s perspective, discussing possible solutions, agreeing on a resolution, implementing the solution, and reviewing the outcomes.

Proactively addressing conflicts not only prevents absenteeism and turnover but likewise saves your organization significant costs. By grasping the steps in conflict management, you can promote a more collaborative work environment, reduce friction, and create a culture of comprehension and respect among team members.

Recognizing Signs of Conflict

Recognizing Signs of Conflict

Recognizing signs of conflict is crucial for maintaining a healthy workplace.

You should watch for behavioral indicators like insults and noncooperation, in addition to communication breakdowns that can lead to confusion and gossip among team members.

Behavioral Indicators of Conflict

When team dynamics shift, it’s crucial to be aware of the behavioral indicators that signal potential conflict. Recognizing these signs early can help you proactively address issues and maintain a positive workplace.

Here are three key indicators to watch for:

  1. Negative Communication Patterns: Notice if team members start avoiding each other or communicating less frequently, which may indicate unresolved tensions.
  2. Increased Complaints and Gossip: Pay attention to rising dissatisfaction and informal discussions that could suggest underlying issues affecting morale.
  3. Emotional Reactions: Look for signs of frustration or hostility among team members, as these emotional responses often point to interpersonal conflicts.

Communication Breakdown Signals

Identifying communication breakdown signals is essential in recognizing the early stages of conflict within a team. Watch for increased misunderstandings or misinterpretations among team members, as these often indicate brewing issues.

Negative emotions like frustration or resentment can further surface, leading to decreased morale and productivity. If you notice frequent gossip or informal discussions about grievances, this may signal dissatisfaction and avoidance of direct communication, highlighting the need for open dialogue.

Pay attention to body language cues—crossed arms or lack of eye contact can suggest discomfort or disengagement.

Moreover, changes in team dynamics, such as decreased collaboration or reluctance to work together, are critical indicators of conflict that must be addressed to maintain a productive environment.

Importance of Addressing Conflict Promptly

Importance of Addressing Conflict Promptly

Addressing conflict swiftly is crucial for maintaining a healthy workplace, as unresolved issues can quickly escalate into larger problems that disrupt productivity and morale.

Ignoring conflicts often leads to significant financial losses, with American Express businesses losing $359 billion annually as a result of unresolved disputes. Furthermore, when employees avoid “toxic” situations, organizations face an average loss of $7,500 and over seven lost workdays per employee.

Here are three key reasons to address conflict without delay:

  1. Prevention of Escalation: Timely intervention stops minor issues from becoming major disruptions.
  2. Fostering Trust: Early conflict resolution promotes a culture of trust and collaboration, enhancing team dynamics.
  3. Reducing Turnover: Proactive management of conflicts lowers absenteeism and turnover, saving costs related to employee dissatisfaction and potential litigation.

Encouraging Open Communication

Encouraging Open Communication

To effectively encourage open communication, you should focus on nurturing active listening, promoting transparent dialogue, and encouraging regular check-ins among team members.

By actively listening to different perspectives, you can uncover the root causes of conflicts and build trust within your team.

Implementing transparent communication policies and scheduling consistent check-ins creates a safe space for employees to express their concerns, ultimately resulting in a more collaborative and productive work environment.

Foster Active Listening

One key aspect of effective conflict management is nurturing active listening, which plays a vital role in encouraging open communication among team members.

By fully concentrating on what others say, you can greatly reduce misunderstandings and promote collaboration.

Here are three techniques to improve your active listening skills:

  1. Paraphrase and Summarize: Reflect back what you’ve heard to clarify comprehension and show empathy.
  2. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Use questions like “What concerns you the most about this issue?” to encourage deeper discussions.
  3. Create a Safe Environment: Cultivate a space where team members feel valued and empowered to express their concerns without fear of retribution.

Prioritizing active listening improves team dynamics and leads to better conflict resolution.

Promote Transparent Dialogue

Promoting transparent dialogue is essential in creating a workplace culture where open communication thrives, as it encourages employees to share their thoughts and concerns freely.

This openness cultivates a safe environment, greatly reducing grievances since early conflict resolution boosts productivity and employee loyalty. By allowing team members to voice their misunderstandings, you can mitigate common sources of conflict, nurturing a culture of mutual respect and cooperation.

Implementing clear policies that emphasize open communication builds trust, ensuring all voices are valued. Furthermore, training employees in effective communication strategies, like reflective listening and open-ended questions, improves interpersonal interactions and facilitates constructive discussions during conflicts.

In the end, transparent dialogue strengthens the overall workplace dynamic, promoting a healthier organizational atmosphere.

Encourage Regular Check-ins

Regular check-ins serve as a crucial tool for nurturing open communication within teams, enabling members to voice concerns and feelings that might otherwise go unaddressed.

By establishing a routine of check-ins, you can improve team cohesion and alignment on goals. Consider the following benefits:

  1. Prevent Escalation: Regular discussions allow for early identification of misunderstandings, helping to prevent conflicts from becoming more significant issues.
  2. Build Trust: Actively listening and validating employees’ emotions during check-ins creates a psychologically safe environment, cultivating trust.
  3. Boost Engagement: Organizations with frequent communication practices see 25% higher employee engagement levels, contributing to a positive workplace culture.

Implementing regular check-ins is a straightforward strategy to promote open dialogue and improve overall team dynamics.

Implementing Clear Conflict Resolution Policies

Implementing Clear Conflict Resolution Policies

Implementing clear conflict resolution policies is crucial for creating a workplace environment where fairness and mutual respect thrive.

These policies empower you and your colleagues to handle conflicts independently and effectively. Transparency in decision-making helps build trust, ensuring everyone understands their roles in the resolution process.

Establishing an open-door policy allows you to discuss issues with supervisors, facilitating early intervention and reducing the chances of conflicts escalating.

Regular training on conflict resolution strategies equips managers to encourage a psychologically safe space, promoting open dialogue and constructive feedback.

Furthermore, monitoring grievance processes and evaluating employee relations metrics can reveal underlying issues, enabling your organization to adapt policies for ongoing improvement.

Essential Conflict Resolution Skills for Managers

Essential Conflict Resolution Skills for Managers

Maneuvering conflicts effectively requires managers to master significant resolution skills that promote a positive workplace environment. Here are three key skills you should focus on:

  1. Strong Communication: Clearly articulating your thoughts and expectations can prevent misunderstandings, which often trigger conflicts.
  2. Active Listening: Engage with your team by practicing reflective listening. This technique helps clarify issues and shows that you value their perspectives.
  3. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Comprehending different viewpoints is critical for effective conflict management. By demonstrating empathy, you can create a more supportive work culture.

When you develop these skills, you’re not just resolving conflicts; you’re additionally encouraging collaboration and reducing the substantial losses that unresolved disputes can cause.

Training in conflict management further equips you to handle personal disputes and guide employees toward their own resolutions, resulting in a healthier work environment.

Top Conflict Resolution Strategies

Top Conflict Resolution Strategies

In the context of resolving conflicts, effective communication techniques and collaborative problem-solving approaches are vital.

By honing your communication skills, you can express your needs clearly and listen actively to others, which helps in comprehending differing perspectives.

Furthermore, adopting collaborative methods encourages teamwork, enabling all parties to work together in the direction of a solution that satisfies everyone involved.

Effective Communication Techniques

Effective communication techniques play a pivotal role in resolving conflicts, as they help clarify misconceptions and promote cooperation among team members.

Here are three crucial strategies to improve your communication during conflicts:

  1. Prefer Face-to-Face Meetings: Whenever possible, discuss issues in person to minimize miscommunication and misconceptions that often arise in emails.
  2. Practice Active Listening: Use techniques like paraphrasing and summarizing to show empathy and improve comprehension, addressing the emotional aspects of the conflict.
  3. Encourage Open Dialogue: Ask open-ended questions that stimulate deeper discussions, helping to uncover underlying issues and identify points of agreement and disagreement, which can lead to collaborative solutions.

Collaborative Problem-Solving Approaches

Collaborative problem-solving approaches serve as fundamental strategies for resolving conflicts effectively, especially in environments where multiple stakeholders are involved.

This strategy emphasizes a win-win outcome, prioritizing both parties’ goals and relationships, which leads to more sustainable solutions. By cultivating a culture of respect and shared success, you can navigate complex situations more efficiently.

Utilizing collaborative techniques improves communication, enhances comprehension, and decreases the potential for future conflicts. Research indicates that effective conflict resolution through collaboration boosts team cohesion, innovation, and overall workplace productivity.

As a leader, your role in facilitating this process is essential; guide discussions, promote open communication, and guarantee all voices are heard. This creates an inclusive atmosphere that drives effective problem-solving.

Managing Conflict in Remote/Hybrid Environments

Managing Conflict in Remote/Hybrid Environments

Maneuvering conflict in remote and hybrid environments can be challenging, especially since clear communication is essential for maintaining productivity and morale.

Here are three effective strategies to manage conflict:

  1. Utilize Video Conferencing: When discussing conflicts, opt for video calls instead of emails. This approach improves comprehension, reduces miscommunication, and nurtures a collaborative atmosphere.
  2. Provide Technical Support: Guarantee that all team members have access to the necessary technical support. Addressing technical issues minimizes frustrations that can escalate conflicts and allows everyone to participate effectively.
  3. Encourage Regular Check-ins: Establish a routine for open dialogue and regular check-ins. This practice helps identify and address issues early, preventing unresolved conflicts from leading to significant productivity losses.

Providing Conflict Resolution Training

Providing Conflict Resolution Training

Even though conflicts are a natural part of any workplace, providing conflict resolution training can greatly improve an organization’s ability to handle disagreements constructively. By equipping employees with crucial skills, you can elevate workplace culture and boost productivity. Effective programs should cover various strategies, including the five approaches from the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model: competing, accommodating, avoiding, compromising, and collaborating.

Training Focus Benefits
Communication Skills Promotes clarity and comprehension
Emotional Intelligence Improves empathy and relationship building
Active Listening Techniques Encourages effective dialogue

Organizations investing in this training can mitigate significant losses from unresolved conflicts, nurturing a harmonious work environment. Regular workshops empower employees to address issues swiftly, finally reducing absenteeism and turnover rates caused by ongoing disputes.

Monitoring and Adjusting Conflict Strategies

Monitoring and Adjusting Conflict Strategies

To effectively manage conflict within your organization, it’s vital to continuously monitor and adjust your strategies based on current dynamics. Here are three key areas to focus on:

  1. Track Employee Relations Metrics: Regularly assess grievance frequency and resolution times to identify patterns that may require changes in your approach.
  2. Evaluate Financial Impact: Understand that unresolved conflicts can cost your business greatly. Prioritize addressing conflicts that have substantial financial implications.
  3. Engage in Continuous Feedback: Create feedback loops with employees to gather insights on the effectiveness of your conflict resolution strategies, allowing for necessary adjustments based on their experiences.

Additionally, keep an eye on the emotional climate by observing signs of burnout and dissatisfaction, and adapt your strategies to promote open communication.

This guarantees all voices are heard, nurturing collaboration and enhancing the overall work environment.

Fostering a Positive Workplace Culture

Fostering a Positive Workplace Culture

Creating a positive workplace culture is essential for nurturing an environment where employees feel valued and engaged. When open communication is encouraged, team members can voice concerns without fear of retribution, which prevents conflicts from escalating and promotes collaboration.

Organizations that prioritize civility and respect often see lower turnover rates and increased productivity, as employees thrive in a supportive atmosphere. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions allow you to address potential issues early, cultivating a proactive approach to conflict management.

Additionally, research shows that developing a culture of psychological safety leads to innovative solutions, as employees feel secure sharing diverse perspectives. Investing in conflict management training can greatly improve employee morale and collaboration, saving costs associated with unresolved conflicts, which can reach up to $359 billion annually in the U.S. alone.

Gathering Feedback on Conflict Resolution Efforts

Gathering Feedback on Conflict Resolution Efforts

A positive workplace culture doesn’t just encourage collaboration; it also lays the groundwork for effective conflict resolution. Gathering feedback on conflict resolution efforts is crucial, especially when unresolved conflicts can cost organizations about $359 billion annually.

To improve your approach, consider these strategies:

  1. Solicit Employee Insights: Regularly use surveys or interviews to uncover underlying issues and employee perceptions regarding the conflict resolution process.
  2. Focus on Experiences: Emphasize fairness and transparency in feedback to build trust and respect within your team.
  3. Analyze Relevant Metrics: Look at data related to grievances, such as conflict frequency and resolution times, to assess the effectiveness of your strategies.

Encouraging open dialogue about these processes promotes psychological safety, allowing employees to voice concerns and contribute to a more collaborative, supportive environment.

Continuous Improvement in Conflict Management

Continuous Improvement in Conflict Management

Even though conflict is an unavoidable part of workplace dynamics, continuously improving conflict management strategies can greatly improve employee relations and overall productivity.

Regularly tracking employee relations metrics, like grievances and their resolution times, helps identify trends and areas needing improvement. Organizations that implement conflict resolution training often see increased workplace productivity and employee loyalty, effectively reducing the costs of unresolved conflicts.

It’s crucial to evaluate the return on investment (ROI) from employee relations initiatives, as American businesses lose $359 billion annually because of unresolved conflicts.

Encouraging a culture of open dialogue and regular check-ins among team members allows conflicts to be addressed early, promoting positive outcomes and innovation.

Furthermore, utilizing expert-led resources and continuous learning opportunities, such as webinars from professional organizations like SHRM, keeps managers and employees informed about best practices in conflict management, ensuring a proactive approach to handling conflicts effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the 5 C’s of Conflict Management?

The 5 C’s of conflict management are Crisis, Communication, Collaboration, Compromise, and Closure.

First, you identify the Crisis to prevent escalation.

Then, you engage in Communication, allowing all parties to express their views.

Next, Collaboration is key, as you work together for a solution that satisfies everyone.

Compromise involves making concessions for a mutually acceptable outcome.

Finally, achieve Closure by confirming the resolution and reflecting on the process to improve future conflict handling.

How Can You Navigate and Learn How to Manage Conflict More Effectively?

To navigate conflict more effectively, start by enhancing your communication skills.

Practice active listening and empathy to understand different viewpoints.

Apply the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model to choose the right resolution strategy, depending on your goals and relationships.

Promote open discussions to address conflicts early, preventing escalation.

Encourage a culture of psychological safety within your team, allowing everyone to voice their concerns.

Finally, pursue continuous learning opportunities to refine your conflict management abilities over time.

What Are the 5 A’s of Conflict Management?

The 5 A’s of conflict management are crucial for resolving disputes effectively.

First, you Acknowledge the conflict to recognize differing opinions and emotions.

Next, you Assess the situation by gathering information and comprehending all perspectives.

Then, you Address the conflict through open communication and collaboration.

After that, you Act on the agreed resolution, and finally, you Assess Again to evaluate the outcome, ensuring the solution works and allows for necessary adjustments.

What Are 5 Conflict Management Techniques?

You can utilize five conflict management techniques: avoiding, competing, accommodating, compromising, and collaborating.

Avoiding is useful for low-stakes conflicts, whereas competing prioritizes quick action in emergencies.

Accommodating yields to others to maintain relationships, though it can stifle innovation.

Compromising seeks a balanced solution, sacrificing some needs from both sides.

Finally, collaborating nurtures teamwork and respect, making it ideal for complex conflicts where both personal goals and relationships matter equally.

Conclusion

Conclusion

Effectively steering conflict management requires a proactive approach that prioritizes open communication, clear policies, and regular feedback. By recognizing signs of conflict early and addressing them swiftly, you can cultivate a positive workplace culture that encourages collaboration. Implementing structured conflict resolution strategies and continuously monitoring their effectiveness will help you adapt to your team’s needs. In the end, a commitment to improvement not just resolves conflicts but also boosts trust and productivity within your organization.

Image via Google Gemini

This article, “How to Navigate Steps in Conflict Management Effectively” was first published on Small Business Trends

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ICE Is Buying Warehouses. Communities Are Fighting Back.

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Filed
12:00 p.m. EST

02.14.2026

The agency wants to warehouse immigration detainees. Local residents and officials are raising concerns.

A photo shows a brown and tan warehouse, a road and a stop sign.

A 400,000 square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, purchased by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Residents asked the city council earlier this month to stop the warehouse from becoming an ICE detention center.

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Down an industrial row in Surprise, a suburb of Phoenix, there’s little of the unexpected: Beverage trucks zip in and out of one boxy grey warehouse to the right. At another site to the left, the open lot is stacked with rows of chemical storage tanks. If you’ve seen one industrial park in the U.S., you’ve really seen them all.

Then there’s one building sitting empty. In late January, the Department of Homeland Security bought it for $70 million in cash, part of a reported $38 billion shopping spree for millions of square feet of commercial real estate to be retrofitted as immigration detention bedspace. Bloomberg reported late last month that DHS is eyeing nearly two dozen sites that, if fully completed, could add enough capacity to double the current detention population of about 68,000.

Over a hundred local residents spoke out against the effort during a five-hour Surprise city council meeting earlier this month, raising concerns that ran the gamut. Some people worried about some detainees with a criminal history being held in the community. Some pointed to the possible strain on water, sewer, electrical infrastructure, traffic and emergency services. One speaker cited lost revenue — the federal government is exempt from local taxes. But most people offered broader condemnations of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown, and simply didn’t want that project to be part of the town’s legacy.

“It is disheartening that the first time our small town makes national news, it is not for who we are, but for something that threatens the dignity and safety of our own people,” a woman said.

The Surprise forum reflected debates happening in local government meetings across the country, and conversations that are making for strange bedfellows and unexpected coalitions. Earlier this week, in the shadow of the sprawling warehouse building in Surprise, I sat down with Lisa Everett, a local conservative political activist who has been among the loudest critics of the plan. A three-time Trump voter, Everett told me she was a strong supporter of tightening the U.S. border, and deportation efforts that target people with violent convictions, but that she had profound issues with the broader immigration dragnet.

She said the crackdown is sweeping up tax-paying, nonviolent community members and expanding detention into indefinite limbo, raising a blunt question: If deportations are the goal, why build so many beds?

Like Everett, many other Trump supporters have taken issue with the prospect of a local detention center — though for many of them, their objections have been more about the impacts on the community than about the people held inside. For Everett, it’s both.

That stance has pushed her into unlikely company. Everett has recently been coordinating with the local chapter of Indivisible, a left-leaning national grassroots network founded in opposition to Trump’s first presidency. That alliance, and her broader immigration advocacy, led to Everett being censured by local Republican leaders. She told me she’s undeterred.

“I won’t stay silent when people’s dignity is being stripped from them,” Everett said.

When I asked what she thought the odds were of stopping the planned detention center here, Everett stopped to stifle tears as her voice cracked. “I’m afraid we’ll have it here. I don’t think there’s anything we can do.”

Her pessimism mirrors City Hall’s posture. On Wednesday, Mayor Kevin Sartor sent a letter to DHS requesting information on the building’s intended use, along with impact studies on what it will mean for the city. But the letter was extremely deferential, acknowledging in multiple places that “we can’t interfere with federal operations.”

Other Arizona officials are exploring more aggressive legal stances. This week, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, said she was considering suing the federal government under a state law that allows state officials to try to block any “public nuisance” that is at odds with “the comfortable enjoyment of life or property” by the community.

As in some of the local efforts to restrain and scrutinize the administration’s operation in Minneapolis, any attempt to stop the feds by using state law in Arizona will be an uphill battle. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution places federal law above state and local statutes. But Mays isn’t the only state or local official looking to throw legal roadblocks in front of the warehouse detention plans.

City councils across the country, including in El Paso, Texas, Merrillville, Indiana, and Durant, Oklahoma, have passed resolutions questioning or resisting plans to use warehouses for immigration detention.

In Kansas City, Missouri, the city council voted 12-1 in January to block federal detention center permits. Like other local efforts, it’s not clear that the ordinance would have ultimately held up in court, but it won’t have to. Platform Ventures, the company that was selling the property, announced on Thursday that it would not be going forward with the sale, following a public pressure campaign.

A similar dynamic played out this week in Salt Lake County, Utah, where county Mayor Jenny Wilson pledged to use “all available legal and policy avenues” to oppose a DHS warehouse there. Shortly after, the owner of the property announced it had “no plans” to sell or lease the building to the federal government, according to MS NOW.

Across the country, this has been an increasingly effective approach by communities looking to stymie warehouse detention centers. In Ashland, Virginia, a warehouse owned by Canadian billionaire Jim Pattison was in the process of being sold to DHS in late January. After news broke, Pattison was hit with threats of a customer boycott of his Canadian grocery store chain, and from advertisers suspending their contracts with his company. Within a couple of days, Pattison’s development company issued a statement that the transaction would not be going forward.

In some cases, political pressure higher up the proverbial food chain has also been effective. Plans for a detention warehouse in Byhalia, Mississippi, were scratched after Republican Sen. Roger Wicker raised his concerns directly to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Wicker wrote in a letter to the agency that the conversion would foreclose economic growth opportunities in an otherwise up-and-coming region of the state.

Similarly, in Hutchins, south of Dallas, local officials worry that DHS’s purchase of a 1-million square foot building will, among other things, imperil the local treasury. The property was generating about $1.8 million in annual tax revenue that the federal government would not have to pay, potentially jeopardizing the city’s ability to pay back a bond. Similar concerns have followed proposed sites in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and Chester, New York.

In other places, financial, legal and public pressure mechanisms may give way to simple infrastructure problems. A massive planned warehouse detention facility in Social Circle, Georgia, could triple the town’s current population of 5,000. City Manager Eric Taylor has told multiple news outlets that the local infrastructure, specifically water and sewer, is nearly maxed out and cannot handle this kind of additional load.

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Fudgy Chocolate Tahini Cookies (1 Bowl!)

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Holding a partially eaten double chocolate tahini cookie above a stack of more cookies

While recently making our tahini cookies for what felt like the millionth time, we thought, Why not add chocolate to this party? The result was even better than we imagined. Introducing: fudgy chocolate tahini cookies studded with chocolate chips! They’re vegan, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious — like a brownie and cookie in one!

All you need for these? 1 bowl, 8 ingredients, and about 20 minutes. Need we say more? Let’s bake some cookies!

Chocolate chips, tapioca starch, baking soda, salt, almond flour, tahini, maple syrup, and cocoa powder

  • Tahini – this creamy seed butter (made by blending sesame seeds) has become one of our favorite ingredients to include in sweet treats due to its rich, nutty, slightly bitter flavor. It also adds moisture, replacing the butter or oil in a typical cookie, keeping these cookies naturally oil-free and rich in nutrients!
  • Maple syrup – the sweet, rich flavor of maple syrup plays so well with tahini, adds moisture, and keeps these cookies naturally sweetened. If you are looking for another option, honey or agave could be worth a try!
  • Almond flour & tapioca flour – this gluten-free and grain-free flour combination keeps these cookies light, airy, and fudgy. If you can’t have almonds, cashew flour would likely work well! If nut-free, you could experiment with a seed-based flour, or perhaps a lesser amount of all-purpose or oat flour, but the texture and flavor of the cookies will be different.
  • Cocoa powder – yummmmm, chocolate! No notes.
  • Baking soda & sea salt – these cookie classics add lift and flavor.
  • Chocolate chips – extra chocolate = extra deliciousness! When the cookies are eaten warm, the chocolate chips are melty and especially wonderful.

How to Make Chocolate Tahini Cookies

We’re no strangers to the magic of tahini + maple syrup (exhibits A, B, and C), and that is exactly where we start with these cookies! When whisked together, these two ingredients create a luscious, caramel-looking mixture with the perfect bitter-sweet balance.

Bowl of creamy whisked tahini and maple syrup next to salt, baking soda, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, and almond flour

Next, we add the dry ingredients (almond flour, tapioca starch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt) and stir until the cookie dough forms. Cookie making doesn’t get much easier than that!

Bowl of dry ingredients including cocoa powder, almond flour, tapioca starch, and baking soda

The final ingredient before scooping and baking: chocolate chips! Because who wouldn’t want melty bites of chocolate in their cookies?!

Chocolate tahini cookies on a baking sheet with some plain and some coated in sesame seeds

A quick bake in the oven (~10 minutes) and another few to cool (~5 minutes), and the cookies are all yours!

Chocolate tahini cookie freshly dunked into a mug of dairy-free milk

These may just become your new favorite cookies! They’re:

Rich
Fudgy
Crisp on the outside
Tender on the inside
Perfectly sweet
Chocolaty
Quick & easy
& Irresistibly delicious!

These satisfying (5 g protein per serving!) cookies are perfect for a sweet + energizing afternoon treat, Valentine’s Day celebrations, holiday cookie making, and much more. They also keep well in the freezer (as dough or cookies), so they’re great for satisfying chocolate cravings in a hurry!

More Tahini-Filled Treats

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up photo of a partially eaten chocolate tahini cookie with melty chocolate chips in it

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 13 (Cookies)

Course Dessert

Cuisine Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 3-4 Days

  • 1/2 cup tahini, unsalted and smooth/drippy (see our tahini review for our favorite brands)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (we like Enjoy Life)
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • To a medium mixing bowl, add tahini and maple syrup and use a whisk to thoroughly combine. Next add the almond flour, tapioca starch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix well. Add the chocolate chips and stir to distribute.

  • Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon (scooped generously!) to scoop ~1 1/2 tablespoon portions of dough, then roll into near perfect balls before placing them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Gently press down on each dough ball to flatten them slightly. Recipe as written should make ~13 cookies and they won’t spread much, so they should all fit on a standard size baking sheet (adjust if making a larger batch!). See notes if you’d prefer freezing the dough to bake in smaller batches.
  • Bake in the oven for 9-12 minutes until slightly firm on the edges. Let cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy!

  • Store leftovers covered at room temperature up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Enjoy at room temperature for best texture.

*If you want to freeze the dough to bake in smaller batches, scoop into rounded Tablespoon-size balls, press each down slightly, and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 1-2 months. To bake, heat oven to 325 F (162 C), place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 11-15 minutes or until slightly puffy and no longer super soft to the touch (be careful not to burn the bottoms).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with semisweet chocolate chips.
*Adapted from our Easy Tahini Cookies (Vegan + GF).

Serving: 1 cookie Calories: 202 Carbohydrates: 20.9 g Protein: 5.2 g Fat: 12.9 g Saturated Fat: 2.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 147 mg Potassium: 200 mg Fiber: 3.3 g Sugar: 11.3 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 49 mg Iron: 1.4 mg



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15 Best Books About Friendship (Fiction & Nonfiction)

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Last Updated on February 12, 2026 by Jella Erhard

Explore the most touching, hilarious, and useful fiction & nonfiction books about friendship and best friends for adults and young adult readers.

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Must-Read Books About Friendship

* Disclaimer: Some links on AsianaCircus.com are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Explore some of the best fiction and non-fiction books about friendship that will not only entertain you with heartwarming and unforgettable stories but also help you become a better friend.

You’ll find here timeless and beloved classics but also beloved modern friendship books with meaningful themes and thought-provoking stories that show how relationships and friendships shape our lives.

RELATED: New Atmospheric Feel-Good Books To Read

We also included powerful and useful nonfiction books that examine the dynamics and significance of friendships and give their readers actionable tips and advice on how to navigate these complex relationships better with research-backed insights.

These often hilarious books offer valuable insights into nurturing and maintaining strong, meaningful connections, empowering readers to cultivate and cherish their own friendships.

Fiction Books About Friendship

9. We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman - new books about friendshipWe All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman - new books about friendship

Buy Your Copy HERE

Synopsis:

Who knows you better than your best friend? Who knows your secrets, your fears, your desires, your strange imperfect self?

Edi and Ash have been best friends for over forty years.Since childhood they have seen each other through life’s milestones: stealing vodka from their parents, the Madonna phase, REM concerts, unexpected wakes, marriages, infertility, children.

As Ash notes, ‘Edi’s memory is like the back-up hard drive for mine.’

So when Edi is diagnosed with terminal cancerAsh‘s world reshapes around the rhythms of Edi’s care, from chipped ice and watermelon cubes to music therapy; from snack smuggling to impromptu excursions into the frozen winter night.

Because life is about squeezing the joy out of every moment, about building a powerhouse of memories, about learning when to hold on, and when to let go.

We All Want Impossible Things is one of the most beautifully heartbreaking modern books about once-in-a-lifetime friendships that perfectly captures the emotional rollercoaster that happens when a loved one goes into hospice and the beauty and burden of caring for someone in their final moments.

8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - classsic books about friendshipPride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - classsic books about friendship

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Synopsis:

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.”

The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

Pride and Prejudice is set in early 19th-century England, the story revolves around the spirited and intelligent Elizabeth Bennet. As she navigates the rigid social conventions of her time, she encounters the proud and wealthy Mr. Darcy.

Initially, their first impressions of each other are marred by misunderstandings and prejudices, leading to a series of miscommunications and clashes. However, as the narrative unfolds, Austen skillfully depicts the evolution of their relationship, gradually revealing the depth of their characters and the transformative power of love and understanding.

Jane Austen’s keen observations, engaging characters, and clever social commentary make it a remarkable choice for adults and young adults seeking classic books about friendship. The novel serves as a reminder that true friendship can transcend societal expectations and that genuine connections are built on mutual understanding, respect, and the willingness to challenge our own prejudices.

You can also check out other hilarious and romantic Jane Austin-inspired books that deal with similar themes.

Pride and Prejudice is a literary masterpiece that continues to captivate readers with its exploration of love, friendship, and societal conventions.

7. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - funny books about friendshipA Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - funny books about friendship

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Synopsis:

A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul.

All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.

Backman’s writing style is engaging and heartfelt, skillfully blending moments of humor with profound insights into the human condition. His characters are richly drawn and multi-dimensional, eliciting empathy and a genuine emotional investment from readers.

Ove, in particular, is a memorable and lovable character, whose journey from a curmudgeonly loner to an unlikely hero tugs at the heartstrings and leaves a lasting impression.

A Man Called Ove is one of the most beautifully written and hilarious modern novels that celebrates the power of friendship, compassion, and unexpected connections.

6. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Color Purple by Alice Walker - must read books about friendshipThe Color Purple by Alice Walker - must read books about friendship

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Synopsis:

Set in the deep American South between the wars, The Color Purple is the classic tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation. Raped repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, she has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie and is trapped into an ugly marriage.

But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.

Alice Walker’s evocative prose, compelling characters, and exploration of challenging themes make it a compelling choice for both adults and young adults seeking books about friendship.

It serves as a reminder of the enduring power of love, resilience, and authentic connections in the face of adversity, leaving a lasting impact on readers long after they turn the final page.

The Color Purple is a must-read for readers who are looking for profound and emotionally charged books that delve into the complexities of friendship, self-discovery, and the quest for personal liberation.

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - fiction books about friendshipThe Book Thief by Markus Zusak - fiction books about friendship

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Synopsis:

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger‘s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times.When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.

Markus Zusak’s evocative prose and compelling characters create a narrative that transcends age and captivates readers seeking books about friendship. It serves as a reminder that even in the bleakest of times, friendship, love, and the power of words have the ability to light a flame of hope and inspire acts of extraordinary bravery.

The Book Thief is one of the most powerful and emotional historical fiction books about friendship, love, the importance of storytelling, and the invincible nature of the human spirit.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - best friendship booksTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - best friendship books

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Synopsis:

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. “To Kill A Mockingbird” became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, the story is told through the eyes of Scout Finch, a young girl navigating the complexities of her community. Scout, along with her brother Jem and their friend Dill, becomes engrossed in the mystery surrounding a reclusive neighbor and the unjust trial of a black man accused of rape.

Through the lens of Scout’s perspective, the novel exposes the deep-rooted prejudices and social divisions that plague the town.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, “To Kill A Mockingbird” takes readers to the roots of human behavior – to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos.

Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

To Kill A Mockingbird story explores friendship, social injustice, and the loss of innocence while reminding its readers of the enduring power of genuine connections and the importance of standing up for what is right

3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - must-read friendship booksThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - must-read friendship books

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Synopsis:

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction.

A powerful story of friendship, it is also about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

It is a powerful story that’s a great choice for adults and young adults who are looking for powerful books about friendship, healing, and forgiveness.

The Kite Runner is a compelling and thought-provoking book that explores the complexities of friendship, redemption, and personal growth.

2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - friendship booksEleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - friendship books

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Synopsis:

Bono met his wife in high school,” Park says.
“So did Jerry Lee Lewis,” Eleanor answers.
“I’m not kidding,” he says.
“You should be,” she says, “we’re 16.”
“What about Romeo and Juliet?”
“Shallow, confused, then dead.”
“I love you,” Park says.
“Wherefore art thou,” Eleanor answers.
“I’m not kidding,” he says.
“You should be.”

Set over one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

Rainbow Rowell’s ability to capture the essence of teenage emotions and the transformative power of connection makes it a compelling choice for those seeking the best books about friendship.

Through its relatable characters and universal themes, Eleanor & Park reminds readers of the enduring impact of genuine connections and the remarkable strength that can be found in unlikely relationships.

Eleanor & Park is one of the most beautifully written YA books about friendship and family that also explores the complexities of young love and self-discovery.

1. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom - books on friendshipThe Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom - books on friendship

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Synopsis:

From the author of the phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, a novel that explores the unexpected connections of our lives, and the idea that heaven is more than a place; it’s an answer.

Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart.

He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It’s a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers.

One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie’s five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his “meaningless” life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: “Why was I here?”

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a compelling and profound novel that invites readers to contemplate life’s bigger questions and is a great choice for adults and YA readers who love stories about friendship and the interconnectedness of human existence.

Nonfiction Books About Friendship

6. My Glory Was I Had Such Friends by Amy Silverstein

My Glory Was I Had Such Friends by Amy SilversteinMy Glory Was I Had Such Friends by Amy Silverstein

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Synopsis:

In this moving memoir about the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit, Amy Silverstein tells the story of the extraordinary group of women who supported her as she waited on the precipice for a life-saving heart transplant.

Nearly twenty-six years after receiving her first heart transplant, Amy Silverstein’s donor heart plummeted into failure. If she wanted to live, she had to take on the grueling quest for a new heart—immediately.

A shot at survival meant uprooting her life and moving across the country to California. When her friends heard of her plans, there was only one reaction: “I’m there.” Nine remarkable women—Joy, Jill, Leja, Jody, Lauren, Robin, Valerie, Ann, and Jane—put demanding jobs and pressing family obligations on hold to fly across the country and be by Amy’s side.

Creating a calendar spreadsheet, the women—some of them strangers to one another—passed the baton of friendship, one to the next, and headed straight and strong into the battle to help save Amy’s life.

Empowered by the kind of empathy that can only grow with age, these women, each knowing Amy from different stages of her life, banded together to provide her with something that medicine alone could not.

Sleeping on a cot beside her bed, they rubbed her back and feet when the pain was unbearable, adorned her room with death-distracting decorations, and engaged in their “best talks ever.”  They saw the true measure of their friend’s strength, and they each responded in kind.

My Glory Was I Had Such Friends is a tribute to these women and the intense hours they spent together—hours of heightened emotion and self-awareness, where everything was laid bare.

Candid and heartrending, this once-in-a-lifetime story of connection and empathy is a powerful reminder of the ultimate importance of “showing up” for those we love.

My Glory Was I Had Such Friends is a poignant and inspiring memoir that showcases the immense impact of friendship in the face of a life-threatening illness.

5. Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are by Carlin Flora

Friendfluence The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are by Carlin FloraFriendfluence The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are by Carlin Flora

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Synopsis:

Discover the unexpected ways friends influence our personalities, choices, emotions, and even physical health in this fun and compelling examination of friendship, based on the latest scientific research and ever-relatable anecdotes.

Why is dinner with friends often more laughter filled and less fraught than a meal with family? Although some say it’s because we choose our friends, it’s also because we expect less of them than we do of relatives.

While we’re busy scrutinizing our romantic relationships and family dramas, our friends are quietly but strongly influencing everything from the articles we read to our weight fluctuations, from our sex lives to our overall happiness levels.

Evolutionary psychologists have long theorized that friendship has roots in our early dependence on others for survival. These days, we still cherish friends but tend to undervalue their role in our lives.

However, the skills one needs to make good friends are among the very skills that lead to success in life, and scientific research has recently exploded with insights about the meaningful and enduring ways friendships influence us.

With people marrying later—and often not at all—and more families having just one child, these relationships may be gaining in importance. The evidence even suggests that at times friends have a greater hand in our development and well-being than do our romantic partners and relatives.

Friends see each other through the process of growing up, shape each other’s interests and outlooks, and, painful though it may be, expose each other’s rough edges.

Childhood and adolescence, in particular, are marked by the need to create distance between oneself and one’s parents while forging a unique identity within a group of peers, but friends continue to influence us, in ways big and small, straight through old age.

Perpetually busy parents who turn to friends—for intellectual stimulation, emotional support, and a good dose of merriment—find a perfect outlet to relieve the pressures of raising children. In the office setting, talking to a friend for just a few minutes can temporarily boost one’s memory.

While we romanticize the idea of the lone genius, friendship often spurs creativity in the arts and sciences. And in recent studies, having close friends was found to reduce a person’s risk of death from breast cancer and coronary disease, while having a spouse was not.

Friendfluence surveys online-only pals, friend breakups, the power of social networks, envy, peer pressure, the dark side of amicable ties, and many other varieties of friendship.

Told with warmth, scientific rigor, and a dash of humor, Friendfluence not only illuminates and interprets the science but draws on clinical psychology and philosophy to help readers evaluate and navigate their own important friendships.

Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are is one of the most thought-provoking nonfiction books about friendships and the profound impact they have on our lives.

4. Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend by Irene S. Levine

Best Friends Forever Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend by Irene S. LevineBest Friends Forever Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend by Irene S. Levine

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Synopsis:

For the first time, a guide for women recovering from a breakup with their best friend-an indispensable addition to every woman’s library.

Men, jobs, children, personal crises, irreconcilable social gaps-these are just a few of the strange and confusing reasons that may cause a female friendship to end. No matter what the circumstances, the breakup of a female friendship leaves a woman devastated and asking herself difficult questions.

Was someone to blame? Is the friendship worth fighting for? How can I prevent this from ever happening again? Psychologist Irene S. Levine, Ph.D., offers this groundbreaking and heroically honest book for abandoned friends seeking solace.

Perfect for women of all ages and from all walks of life, “Best Friends Forever” covers:
Why friendships fall apart
Coping with getting dumped
How to end a friendship that can’t be fixed
Moving forward after a traumatizing breakup

Dr. Levine draws from years of research and the personal testimonials of thousands of women to provide anecdotes and solutions to these complicated situations.

Full of tools for personal assessment, case stories, and actionable advice for saving, ending, or re-evaluating a relationship, “Best Friends Forever” is an indispensable addition to every woman’s library.

Irene S. Levine’s empathetic approach, combined with her expertise as a psychologist, makes it a valuable resource for adults and young adults seeking healing and guidance during times of friendship breakup.

By providing validation, understanding, and practical tools for self-care and growth, this book offers a pathway toward healing and creating new connections in the aftermath of a friendship loss.

Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend is a compassionate and insightful guide that offers support and practical strategies for navigating the complexities of friendship loss.

3. Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

Set Boundaries by Nedra Glover Tawwab - nonfiction friendship and relationship booksSet Boundaries by Nedra Glover Tawwab - nonfiction friendship and relationship books

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Synopsis:

The instant  New York Times  bestseller

End the struggle, speak up for what you need, and experience the freedom of being truly yourself.

Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them–in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family.

But what do “healthy boundaries” really mean–and how can we successfully express our needs, say “no,” and be assertive without offending others?

Licensed counselor, sought-after relationship expert, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram Nedra Glover Tawwab demystifies this complex topic for today’s world.

In a relatable and inclusive tone, Set Boundaries, Find Peace presents simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life.

Rooted in the latest research and best practices used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), these techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology–and unravel a root problem behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more.

Set Boundaries, Find Peace is a must-read for adults and young adults who want to reclaim their personal power and strengthen their relationships.

2. Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make and Keep Friends by Marisa G. Franco

Platonic How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make and Keep Friends by Marisa G. FrancoPlatonic How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make and Keep Friends by Marisa G. Franco

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Synopsis:

A lively, data-driven guide to finding your people from psychologist Dr. Marisa G. Franco about the (sometimes surprising) science behind making friends, maintaining them, and building connections of ALL sorts in an era of social fragmentation and rampant loneliness.

Loneliness is an epidemic, in part due to a culture that prioritizes romance at the expense of all other relationships.

But in fact, science shows that platonic friendships are a crucial–possibly THE crucial–key to shaping who we are and how we can become our happiest, most fulfilled selves. So how do we nurture meaningful relationships in an era of distraction, burnout, and chaos?

Just as economist Emily Oster (Crib Sheet) breaks down the science of child-rearing by countering fables with facts, psychologist and professor Marissa G. Franco unpacks the latest (often counterintuitive) findings about friendship–for example, why your friends aren’t texting you back (it’s not because they hate you!), and the myth of “just showing up” (you need to bring more than your mere presence to the table to make real friends!).

Forging lasting bonds with other people isn’t rocket science…but it does take work, and there are research-based ways to improve the number and quality of your connections. The good news: the benefits can be massive to not just our sense of wellbeing but also to our physical health.

With vivid, relatable storytelling bolstered by the latest psychological research, Platonic provides a clear and actionable blueprint for understanding and conquering the barriers that keep you from forging strong, lasting connections with others.

In short, Platonic will give you permission to hold friendship in the highest regard–because it deserves to be.

Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make and Keep Friends is an insightful and practical guide for adults and young adults seeking to deepen their understanding of friendship and improve their ability to form and maintain meaningful connections.

1. Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow, Ann Friedman

Big Friendship How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow, Ann FriedmanBig Friendship How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow, Ann Friedman

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Synopsis:

A close friendship is one of the most influential and important relationships a human life can contain. Anyone will tell you that! But for all the rosy sentiments surrounding friendship, most people don’t talk much about what it really takes to stay close for the long haul.

Now two friends, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, tell the story of their equally messy and life-affirming Big Friendship in this honest and hilarious book that chronicles their first decade in one another’s lives.

As the hosts of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend, they’ve become known for frank and intimate conversations. In this book, they bring that energy to their own friendship—its joys and its pitfalls.

An inspiring and entertaining testament to the power of society’s most underappreciated relationship, Big Friendship will invite you to think about how your own bonds are formed, challenged, and preserved.

It is a call to value your friendships in all of their complexity. Actively choose them. And, sometimes, fight for them.

Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close is a thought-provoking and engaging exploration of the complexities and rewards of deep friendships.

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