Great Literary Friendships

“The power of human friendship provides a wonderful escape from the sometimes grim realities of everyday life,” writes Phillips, editor at Bodleian Library Publishing, in her lighthearted debut, a survey of 24 friendships from classic works of literature. There’s a section on childhood friendships, a time during which “the absence of parents also brings into focus the importance of” peers; here, she highlights Anne and Diana from Anne of Green Gables and Helen and Jane in Jane Eyre. In “Students and Apprentices,” Hamlet shows “affection and respect” for Horatio, while a chapter on “heart to heart” connections spotlights Celia as a paragon of loyalty to Rosalind in As You Like It. Entries on both Holmes and Watson (who “go together like bread and butter”) and Don Quixote and Sancho Panza (with their “bickering and bonhomie”) feature as “adventure” pals; and George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men show the value of companionship during hard times. While Phillips’s analyses are amusing snapshots and offer plenty of context for those unfamiliar with the characters, the heavy focus on works by Western authors feels limiting. Still, it’s a fun spin on literary analysis. (Feb.)