'The success of books can be measured by their imagery. Ray Pahl, in this eloquent essay on the value and virtues of friendship, provides two images that stay in the mind. The first is of friendships as social convoys that accompany you through the hazards of life. The second is of friendships as personal communities, in which identity can be affirmed, and intimacy explored. Through both images you can clearly see the significance of circles of friends - never more important than in the confusions and complexities of the contemporary world.' Jeffrey Weeks, Professor of Sociology, South Bank University London 'Pahl, a warmly readable sociologist, muses over ideas of friendship found in thinkers such as Aristotle, La Rochefoucauld and Hume, and also those implied in literature and modern fiction. In a rather lovely image, he sees our set of friends as a "social convoy" that helps us on our way through life.' Steven Poole, The Guardian "What differentiates this book from other recent research and writing on friendship is that Pahl account of, and approach to, friendship is wide-ranging and unconstrained by disciplinary boundaries. The different literatures and traditions covered in this slim volume highlight the many sources from which information on friendship can be gained, including media commentary and analysis, psychological and philosophical literature and political and social theory." British Journal of Sociology

This accessible, jargon-free book will appeal to a wide readership as it illuminates the fascinating topic of friendship on many levels.