Customer Reviews

Life Is Friends: A Complete Guide to the Lost Art of Connecting in Person

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This witty and helpful book is the most wonderful antidote to "hostess anorexia," or any of the other confounding problems associated with socializing in a world gone nuts over Twitter and Facebook. People seem connected but are in fact, more distant than ever, as Ms. Martinet points out. Time to get over our fears of actually cooking for people, because as she says, the more you entertain in your home, the more others will invite you over, and that's truly how you meet people in relationships that "stick." "Say yes," "go out," stop interacting all the time with a video screen, that's how she sees it, and she provides wonderful tips on how to start and then keep on with your own wish to reach out.

This work is a delight, filled with wisdom and laughs from someone who clearly understands the new age of relationships and how to cope - nay - triumph.

I loved this book for the warmth, humor and value it puts on face-to-face friendship. It was also a great gift for my aunts and step-mother who already treasure the values in this book and appreciated that I understood and validated them by giving them this book.

Do you really spend more time calling, emailing and texting friends than spending actual face to face time with them? I was more than a little embarrassed to realize I do. Witty, illuminating and dead-on true, Jeanne Martinet's book makes a serious case that for all the gizmos, devices and doodads we use to stay in-touch with friends and family, nothing can replace good old actual contact.

I stumbled upon this book, looking for a housewarming gift. Not only was I highly pleased with my purchase, but I bought three more (two for friends, and one for myself).

From how to meet new friends to deepening and maintaining current relationships, this book covers a wide range of social situation how-to's, all illustrated with humorous anecdotes. It's a pleasure to read.

Bottom line--this book got me off my butt and out with my friends.

The Positive: Makes us take an honest look at our social lives, evaluate whether we are investing enough time in people, and helps us conquer our fears of hosting parties. Truly has some important information about the time we spend with people versus technology laden sound byte-living.

The Negative: The author has a weird fetish about sex and often adds obscene mentions of it without warning, and without virtue. Unfortunately, some other moral issues cropped up as well. Being honest doesn't seem to be high priority for her, therefore some of her advice recommends lying and deception in order to make life easier. Lastly, the author does not steer people away from preventing drunkenness but involves alcohol in almost every situation. Alcohol can be avoided many times with creative, healthier options.

Filtered, this book can offer some good advice on putting away the internet and really building friendships with people. Life is short, people matter and the author clearly realizes that.

I found this book heartening in that I agree that as a society we use technology as an end and not a means to connect with people. We hide behind text messaging, e-mail messages, Twitter, Facebook in LIEU of face time, which is what it's all about. These are helpful where geographical distance is a hindrance to more personal interaction. In mid-life I find myself at the cusp between a generation that doesn't feel the need always to 'plug in' and a generation that grew up online. It was also comforting to know that people share in common trepidations about entertaining in their homes, but that kind of intimacy is worth experiencing. My only reservation about this book is the coaching around 'artful dodging' and the 'white lies' around disconnecting with people you don't wish to know better. I think transparency and direct communication are better options here - having told and been told that a greater friendship is not in the cards - to me that's kinder than letting go via the unresponsive 'fade away'.

I decided to 'unplug' for a couple of days and it was great fun!

Another great book from the author of "The Art of Mingling". This book is wonderful at reminding us that there is no substitute for live, in-person hospitality. The book is filled with wit and delightful all-too-true stories. What a great gift for all your friends...I will be giving it too all of my friends! I loved reading it.