Life Is Friends: A Complete Guide to the Lost Art of Connecting in Person

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Overview

How can it be that you receive dozens of personal e-mails or texts every day but have nothing to do come Saturday night? Or that you’re constantly juggling a jam-packed schedule while always feeling that something essential is missing? Who the heck took the social out of your social life?

Jeanne Martinet, the celebrated author of The Art of Mingling, solves these mysteries and more in Life Is Friends. With an attitude that’s savvy, sympathetic, and down-to-earth, Martinet gives ...

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More About This Book

Overview

How can it be that you receive dozens of personal e-mails or texts every day but have nothing to do come Saturday night? Or that you’re constantly juggling a jam-packed schedule while always feeling that something essential is missing? Who the heck took the social out of your social life?

Jeanne Martinet, the celebrated author of The Art of Mingling, solves these mysteries and more in Life Is Friends. With an attitude that’s savvy, sympathetic, and down-to-earth, Martinet gives you the game plan for relearning the lost art of socializing. Forget texting, IMing, Facebook, and Internet “relationships.” When it comes to building real friendships, she says, there’s simply no substitute for live, in-person hospitality.

Martinet offers a full gamut of strategies and techniques for socializing, from making that first connection with someone to maintaining a long-term relationship. And she focuses on entertaining—whether it’s a dinner party or an informal get-together, a cocktail party or a monthly card game—because sharing one’s home and lifestyle is the most important element in nurturing friendships. 
Brimming with generous amounts of wit, all-too-true stories, and advice that’s both pithy and practical, Life Is Friends gets us back on the path to social success and satisfaction. So read what Martinet has to say. And then, go ahead: Invite people over.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

"How is it that you receive dozens of personal e-mails and texts every day but have nothing do come Saturday night?" Author and narrator Martinet gets to the bottom of the paradox that while the world is more connected than ever, many people are still isolated. The book presents practical suggestions for brushing up social skills, becoming more confident and seeking out fulfilling friendships. Martinet's ability to read with warmth and authority makes listeners feel they are receiving good advice from a trusted and wise confidante. Her delivery conveys care and concern, and she is excellent at addressing her audience's concerns and alleviating anxieties. This is one listening experience that may just change your life. A Stewart, Tabori & Chang hardcover. (Mar.)

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Library Journal

Addressing the drought of authentic communication in the world, Martinet (The Art of Mingling) urges readers to talk to strangers and call instead of instant messaging. Acknowledging the anxiety inherent in having serious, face-to-face conversations, Martinet guides readers through initiating such encounters and nurturing existing friendships. She stresses inviting people over to one's home as the key to creating lasting and fulfilling interpersonal bonds. Martinet's direction is helpful not only for those whose social life is lacking but also for others concerned with the abundance of online-only communication. For public libraries.


—Deborah Bigelow
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781584797500
  • Publisher: Abrams, Harry N., Inc.
  • Publication date: 3/1/2009
  • Pages: 256
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 8.10 (h) x 1.10 (d)

Meet the Author

Jeanne Martinet is the author of six books, including the acclaimed The Art of Mingling. She has shared her mingling know-how on hundreds of TV and radio shows, including the Today show, The Early Show, The Bill O'Reilly Show, and NPR's Morning Edition. She lives in New York City.

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Sort by: Showing all of 5 Customer Reviews

  • Posted April 27, 2009

    This Book is a Friend!

    I stumbled on this priceless little book serendipitously while killing time, read a few pages, put it back, and nearly left without it. But it's message began to grow on me as I headed out of the store. Finally I went back and bought it, and this decision has been paying me dividends ever since. I think what compelled me to go back is that I saw something in it's pages I haven't seen in a long time: a genuinely humane message. We're so busy hyping, spinning and grooming ourselves that we've forgotten how to make and keep friends! What shines through in this book is not the packaging, but the substance. If your other "how to" books leave you with that empty, lonely feeling, like you've just binged on junk food, I suggest you read this book, and then plan a good, wholesome dinner party!

    Incidentally, I don't know how editors came up with "even a little brash" in their description of this book. It's anything but "brash." All I found was kindness. As well as much clear and sensible advice on how to cultivate real, enduring friendships. I sometimes wonder if the people who market these books even read the darned things. Anyway, I recommend you actually read this book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 6, 2009

    Don't Leave Home Without It!

    This book is the perfect cure for our increasingly socially distant culture...just when I thought I'd have to cave in and allow Facebook/Twitter to take over what used to pass for human interaction, Jeanne Martinet comes along to reassure me that I'm in good company, so to speak. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who isn't a hermit (and come to think of it, a recluse might benefit from it as well!)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 6, 2009

    Great book for helping you feel confident in social situations!

    Jeanne Martinet gives brilliant, easy tips for making real connections with people. What I loved about her book is she makes it clear you don't have to be Martha Stewart to entertain. She emphasizes the importance of getting together in person and I'm now inspired to get people into my small city apartment-something I was afraid to do until I read Life Is Friends. If you're not sure where to begin when socializing beyond emails and text messages, this is the book for you.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 18, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    A Great Guide to Reaching Out

    Life Is Friends is a wonderful, witty, user-friendly guide to getting over all those nagging little (and not so little) fears of having people over, giving parties, reaching out in a personal way. Forget Twitter and Facebook - how about actually seeing some human faces? Reading this book, I felt as if I was talking with a really cool, smart friend about why I'm afraid to entertain. Her thoughts on perfectionism are particularly helpful. We don't all have to be Emeril or Martha Stewart. In fact we live in a world of experts who seem to exist to intimidate us about everything, our house, our food, our looks.

    Let's all just get over it and connect, in the most human way possible, without all those fears! Jeanne Martinet shows the way.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 6, 2009

    Great for presents

    This is a great book for these days of economic recession - it reminds us that our time is best spent with friends, face to face. The book is full of warmth and humor. It brings us back to valuing the non-material, real substance of life. Great mother's day present!

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