Toxic Friends | Book Review

A woman can always count on are her friends—right? But what if those friendships are hurtful, harmful, even toxic? Susan Shapiro Barash explores the ten types of female friends and shows you why and how women get stuck with the worst kinds, the ways to get “unstuck, and how to recognize a true friend.”

For example:

• The Leader of the Pack—it’s all on her terms
• The Doormat—and why you’re the one paying the price
• The Misery Lover—she wants to feel your pain. Really.
• The User—and why you seldom see her coming
• The Trophy Friend—and what you gain from each other

Provocative and fascinating, Susan Shapiro Barash looks at the bonds (and bondage) of female friendships in a new light.

Susan Shapiro Barash is the author of ten previous books, and teaches gender studies at Marymount Manhattan College. As a well recognized gender expert, she is frequently sought out by newspapers, television shows, and radio programs to comment on women’s issues. She lives in New York City.

This is one interesting book and after reading through it and thinking back to my past friendships I now see where some of my problems came from. These days the majority of my female friendships is online, through my blog and my blogging and gaming communities. I have always seemed to have more male friends than female in my real life and my only real female best friend has had little to no time for our friendship anymore, sad, but I understand. I liked reading this book and it really did open my eyes to past friendships which I will keep open for future friendships. I recommend Toxic Friends to everyone, especially those who have issues with their current friendships.