Big Friendship

An inspiring and entertaining testament to the power of friendship, from the hosts of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend

‘Deeply compelling’ ROXANE GAY

A New York Times bestseller

A close friendship is one of the most important relationships a human life can contain. But most people don’t talk about what it takes to stay close for the long haul.

Now two friends, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, tell the story of their messy and life-affirming Big Friendship in this honest and hilarious book. Through interviews with friends and experts, they also come to understand that their struggles are not unique.

This book is a call to value your friendships in all of their complexity, to actively choose them and sometimes, fight for them.

‘A deeply funny and immensely heartfelt look into what makes a friendship last despite time, distance, trials and major life changes’ ELLE

‘An inspiration’ ARIEL LEVY

‘Wonderful’ HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

‘Thoughtful and highly readable’ New York Times

Author Biography

AMINATOU SOW is a media personality and entrepreneur. Her work has won awards at the Cannes Lions and the Webbys. She’s spoken at various industry events including SXSW and is the founder of Tech LadyMafia, a group that increases visibility and opportunities for women in Tech. She is also a member of the Sundance Institute Director’s Advisory Group. Previously, she led Social Impact Marketing at Google, and prior to that, she was the Digital Engagement Director at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, where she spearheaded powerful, innovative storytelling projects and raised so many dollars for veterans and their families. Forbes has named her one of the 30 under 30 in Tech. Aminatou also hosts On She Goes, a travel podcast for all women of colour, and Color Full Lives, a podcast that empowers listeners with the knowledge, tools and motivation they need to increase their financial IQ. She writes for Shondaland & GQ and lives in Brooklyn.

ANN FRIEDMAN is a journalist and essayist. She is a contributor to New York magazine’s The Cut, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and a contributing editor to The Gentlewoman. Her work has appeared in Bookforum, Guardian, ELLE, Washington Post, Marie Claire, Glamour, New York Times Book Review, The Times, New Republic, and more. Every Friday, she sends an email newsletter to 31,000 subscribers, who rely on her for links to the most interesting stuff on the internet. She also makes hand-drawn pie charts that are essentially funny little personal essays presented as data visualizations. Before she became the self-employed CEO of Ladyswagger, Inc., Ann was the executive editor of GOOD magazine and, before that, an editor at The American Prospect. She lives in Los Angeles.