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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Testament To The Universal Power Of Friendship, December 3, 2008
"Love is only temporary...but friends are forever."
Kelly Wheeler
This quote, which opens the moving new anthology Forever Friends, is a perfect summation of the contents to which readers will be treated inside. Edited by Shelagh Watkins, administrator of [...], Forever Friends offers a poignant, profound - and oftentimes amusing - look into the various layers of friendship, as well as those who explore them. Featuring poems, short stories, and commentary from authors all over the globe, the anthology serves as a stark reminder that, though we may differ in our cultural approaches to relationships, the emotions with which we experience them are quite universal.
Compiled in various sections, ranging from "Family Friends" to "Lost Friends" to "False Friends" to "Spiritual Friends," the literary offerings contained therein just as equally travel the full spectrum of friendship, covering all imaginable ground in-between. There is reminiscing over childhood heroes, protectors of the four-legged ilk, and gracious musings over friends who were - quite literally - lifesavers. There are also poems that wish for the spreading of global goodwill, as well as verses rendered in homage to friends that are gone, but not forgotten. For added contextual flavor, preceding each section is an insightful blurb helping to foster within the reader a greater understanding of what that particular facet of friendship is really all about. Consider, for example, this literary jewel that precedes the "False Friends" section:
"False friends are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine, but leaving us the instant we cross into the shade."
Christian Nestell Bovee
Among its numerous virtues, perhaps the most salient aspect of Forever Friends is its ability to communicate universal truths about life, love, and the frailties of the human heart in such a realistic way that the reader does not have to have experienced the specific episodes recounted within its pages; the passion and inspired delivery of each contributing author provides the reader with the benefit of a vicarious ride through the depths of their seasoned souls. Such an ability does not come easily, and it speaks volumes of Editor Shelagh Watkins' innate sense of discernment to have selected such an eclectic mix of talented authors with the skill to pull it off.
An engaging and appealing read, Forever Friends will surely move the hearts and minds of readers of all ages, guaranteeing that you'll see the world around you - and even yourself - in a different light by the turning of the final page.
Linda Waterson
Apex Reviews
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