By clicking “Accept,” you agree to the use of cookies and similar technologies on your device as set forth in our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy. Please note that certain cookies are essential for this website to function properly and do not require user consent to be deployed.

Girl Talk

What Science Can Tell Us About Female Friendship

Contributors

By Jacqueline Mroz

Foreword by Claire Messud

Formats and Prices

Price

$16.99

Price

$22.49 CAD

Format:

  1. Trade Paperback $16.99 $22.49 CAD
  2. ebook $11.99 $14.99 CAD
  3. Audiobook Download (Unabridged)

A veteran science reporter’s investigation into the fascinating and distinctive nature of women’s friendships

In Girl Talk, New York Times science reporter Jacqueline Mroz takes on the science of female friendship — a phenomenon that’s as culturally powerful as it is individually mysterious. She examines friendship from a range of angles, from the historical to the experiential, with a scientific analysis that reveals new truths about what leads us to connect and build alliances, and then “break up” when a friendship no longer serves us.

Mroz takes a new look at how friendship has evolved throughout history, showing how friends tend to share more genetic commonalities than strangers, and that the more friends we have, the more empathy and pleasure chemicals are present in our brains. Scientists have also reported that friendship directly influences health and longevity; women with solid, supportive friendships experience fewer “fight or flight” impulses and stronger heart function, and women without friendships tend to develop medical challenges on par with those associated with smoking and excessive body weight.

With intimate reporting and insightful analysis, Mroz reveals new awareness about the impact of women’s friendships, and how they shape our culture at large.

  • "Covering the history, origins, current traditions, international and cultural differences, and numerous mental and overall health benefits of female friendships, this includes something useful for nearly every reader. The section dedicated to the significant effects of social media on contemporary friendships makes the work especially timely."
    Booklist
  • "This quick and intriguing read will provide women with plenty of insight into their actions."
    Library Journal
  • "Mroz employs reportage from scientific studies and interviews with anthropologists, psychologists and neuroscientists, as well as anecdotes from sources and her own personal stories... A compelling and necessary look at some of the most vital interactions in a woman's life."
    Shelf Awareness

On Sale
Nov 13, 2018
Page Count
288 pages
Publisher
Seal Press
ISBN-13
9781580057677

Jacqueline Mroz_Girl Talk

Jacqueline Mroz

About the Author

Jacqueline Mroz a veteran journalist and longtime science writer for The New York Times, and the author of Scattered Seeds. She lives in New Jersey.

Learn more about this author