Author Roger Horchow's friendship skills have been recognized in print: In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell cites him as an exemplary "connector." In The Art of Friendship, Horchow partners with his daughter Sally to write a book that is neither a self-help manual or a friendship etiquette guide. Instead, this multigenerational pair examine the nature and experience of friendship, hoping to share their sense of the value and ease of these relationships.
Library Journal
Believing that women's friendships are some of the most intense relationships in the universe, Carol (Journeys of Courage) draws on research findings, opinions, and case studies to validate the power of these friendships and provide solutions to possible problems. Carol discusses the important role played by mothers and sisters as a woman's first friends and explores that bond's implications in later life. A particularly helpful feature is the Q&A section at the end of each chapter, in which the author pulls together solutions women have managed when dealing with a particular dilemma. The Art of Friendship is not so much a narrative as a compilation of tips and rules garnered from a lifetime of experience. Catalog entrepreneur and Broadway producer Roger Horchow and his journalist daughter, Sally, offer suggestions on how to meet people, maintain quality friendships, deal with problems, and end a relationship if the need should arise. A lot of the advice seems fairly obvious and almost redundant (e.g., listen before you speak, express affection), but the authors' writing style and anecdotes make for a fairly engaging read. While Carol's book is satisfactory, Liz Pryor's What Did I Do Wrong? would be a better purchase because it deals more fully with the demise and pain of women's friendships. The Horchows' book is recommended for larger public libraries. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
historian and author of "Nicholas & Alexandra" Robert K. Massie
Roger Horchow has made a success of everything in his full life: as a husband and father, as a remarkable, innovative businessman, as a brilliant Broadway producer, as a generous donor to the things he believes in, and as a warm, supportive, permanent friend. In this little book, he and his daughter, Sally, combine to reveal Roger's secret formula for success: reach out, give more than you receive, persevere, and remember all we really have on this earth is each other.
William F. Buckley Jr.
Friends are hard to come by, hard to keep, and sometimes hard to get rid of. Here's a book that helps on all scores. If I didn't already consider Roger & Sally Horchow to be good friends, I'd certainly want them to be after reading this wise and charming book.
author of "New Manners for New Times" Letitia Baldrige
This father-daughter collaboration, a from-the-heart and from-the-hearth little book, is simply a rare jewel in today's hardened, unkind society. It's full of great advice, love, and common sense. There is no better combination. In fact, I think it's a great antidote for anything that emotionally ails you.
bestselling author of "The Tipping Point" Malcolm Gladwell
The premise of what Sally and Roger Horchow have written is that The Art of Friendship has a few simple guidelines that anyone can be taught it's a good deal easier to learn something that looks very difficult from the outside if you're being taught by an expert and trust me, in the case of the Horchows senior and junior, you're in the hands of experts.
APR/MAY 07 - AudioFile
The Horchows advise listeners on meeting and making new friends, building foundations for lasting friendships, and managing “advanced friendships.” Though their “rules for connecting” are indeed simple, they’re often overlooked. In his excellent introduction, Malcom Gladwell explains that the Horchows mean to demystify friendship which, like crime, is simply a matter of “means, motive, and opportunity.” Though the book is narrated mainly by Holter Graham, who conveys the message without sounding preachy, the Horchows weigh in frequently. Roger, who has a gravelly Texas accent, and his daughter, Sally, pert and urbane, read the many sidebars. Their friendly voices and entertaining stories enhance this production—which would make a nice gift to a friend. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine