Book Review: Girls from Ames

Last week I had a bit of a book reading spree, this week proves to be no better (worse? I do like reading). It started with finishing The Distant Hours, then I moved on to the Girls from Ames by Jeffery Zaslow.

I'd heard good things about this book a few years ago when it first came out and man is it good. Not only is it a good story, it is a good reminder to be a good friend.
I have lots of lovely female friends, and I think I've expressed on this blog before how much they mean to me and how lucky I am to have them and how great I feel when I'm with them. Reading this book made me think about those friendships, how important they are to me and what I can do to strengthen them, maintain them and keep them for ever.

The girls from Ames are 11 girls who grew up in the same town and are still friends 40 years later. The book looks at them now and recounts the difficulties they've seen each other through recently and in the past. But it also looks at times they've been mean, or haven't been there for each other, or have been too involved. Its hard to talk about the book in such vague terms without giving anything away. But it is a really good (and true!) story of women growing up together and developing into individuals and a group. It also makes note of the importance of female friendships.

I highly recommend this book. It made me cry, it made me laugh, and it made me want to give all my friends a hug and tell them that I love them.