Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend

Levine's first book is a formidable resource for negotiating the ending of women's friendships. The author, a journalist, psychologist and professor at NYU Medical School, affirms that the grief of ending a close friendship can be as potent as that of a dying romantic relationship. But the former rarely garners the same social support as a divorce or romantic breakup. Levine cites studies indicating that women's friendships are more intense than men's, nurtured through shared intimacy and reciprocity. But friendships are not static, she explains—over time, they can wax and wane and end. Levine's seven stages of grief are loosely reminiscent of the Kübler-Ross grief model, but include new elements: “Self Blame,” “Embarrassment and Shame” and “Relief. “Full of hints for being a consistently thoughtful friend, for resuscitating your closest friendship or knowing when to end it, this book is part etiquette guide, part grief manual. Whether your friendship sputtered because of physical distance or your best friend slept with your boyfriend, Levine deftly assures us that although the pain can be strong, the sorrow will pass. (Sept.)