Product Description

At the heart of each relationship, says McGinnis, is the friendship factor--the essential ingredient of warmth and caring. With captivating case histories and anecdotes about such famous people as George Burns, Howard Hughes, and C.S. Lewis, McGinnis shares the secret of how to love and be loved.

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Product Details

Publisher	AUGSBURG BOOKS
ISBN	0806635711
Features	ISBN13: 9780806635712 Condition: New Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Format	Paperback
Author	Alan Loy McGinnis
EAN	9780806635712
Label	AUGSBURG BOOKS
Edition	Anniversary
Dewey Decimal Number	158.2
Studio	AUGSBURG BOOKS
Number Of Pages	244
Title	The Friendship Factor: How to Get Closer to the People You Care for
Publication Date	2004-01-01
Manufacturer	AUGSBURG BOOKS

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Customer Reviews

A Good Book, not amazing, but good.

Review by Sachmo, 2010-08-23

I liked the friendship factor a lot.

It is not a book that is going to give you a play-by-play tactical instruction on how to make friends. Nor is this a book of strategy that tells you what to look for in friends, and what kind of friends you should attempt to to make.

Rather, it is a book about diplomacy. It definitely feels like a light read (as some negative reviewers commented) but I think of that as a positive characteristic, owing to the general attitude that you need to approach your friendships with -- which is keeping things light.

The author never gets too specific, but his general instructions are useful and filled with lots of insight. The writing style is really good, and he is able to successfully tie in quotes and anecdotes from famous figures throughout history to keep the reading engaging.

Although the reading is light, the content is good. The author is able to direct the reader towards often overlooked aspects of friendship, and also touches on what kind of situations to avoid.

My only criticism with this book, is that I feel as if the information could be a lot more focused. For example, the author has a lot of good subsections that coalesce into points such as: "assign top priority to relationships", "cultivate transparency", "dare to talk about your affection", "create space in your relationships" - all very good advice, and very well preceded by interesting anecdotes and stories. But you never get a sense of organization or priority in the material. Each chapter has a point like the ones I've mentioned above, and its very difficult to sort out what takes precedence in certain situations and how all of these pieces of advice relate. A little bit more focus in the writing could have made this an amazing book.

I'd also comment (as a someone who is not Christian) that there is a bit of Christian writing in the book and there are many references to Jesus. I don't really have a problem with any of it because it's all in good taste.

Overall this is a good book, not amazing, but a good primer on personal diplomacy.

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Great Book. Good delivery.

Review by Norma J. Schleck, 2009-10-22

I've read this book before and felt the need for a refresher. I loaned my copy to someone and never saw it again. It's a fairly old book so I was concerned that I wouldn't find it. I think this is the best relationship book I've ever read and I've read a lot. All relationships, not just marraige.

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"Frienship is the model for all intimate encounters"

Review by C.A. Bowe, 2009-02-04

'...Friendship is the model for all intimate encounters.' McGinnis says it himself in the book. And once you read the book, you'll see what he means. Not only has this book helped me with my relationships regarding friends and family; it has also helped me to become a better person. This small book is a good read. Read each chapter, think about what you have just read, let it marinate for a day or two, and then go on to the next chapter. Enjoy the journey!

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Excellent

Review by Jennafer M. Yeager, 2009-01-07

I thought this book was great!!! Easy to read, and life applications that are beneficial to great friendships. I totally recommend this book.

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An Excellent Back-to-Basics Book for both Christians and Non-Christians

Review by Al Moncrieff, 2008-06-19

Being of a cynical bent I must first confess that the rather gimmicky title of the book did put me off a bit. However, intrigued by the premise of a friendship book based on Christian principles, I took a closer look. By and large, while there are indeed references to Bible passages and Christ, the points that the author is putting forward can usually be understood by a person without a Christian background. Even so, for a Christian reader like myself I found the Biblical references did valuably strengthen the point the author was making.

What I liked about the book was its focus on getting simple, basic principles across. We all know the importance of love and forgiveness and suchlike; I don't believe anyone sets out to be a bitter and loveless person. Yet, as the author points out, the main trouble people have with love is not that they dispute its value, but that they despair of ever finding it. This book serves as encouragement that things once thought hopelessly impossible may actually be achievable, by dispensing timeless, practical advice presented simply and memorably - advice made all the more so by the author's wealth of experience as a professional therapist. There is little in the way of abstract psychoanalytic terminology; Freud and Jung, when mentioned, are plainly summarized and used to make a practical point. And by practical I don't mean "try this approach, it really works, I tried it and see I have tons of friends now" (which - let's face it - is a trait too common to many self-help books) - rather, I mean that it is something which makes intuitive sense, which checks out somewhat to my personal experience, and which I can see working for me in the future.

All-in-all, anyone looking for a sensible approach to friendship would do very well to buy this book.

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