Book · 2022 · Family & Relationships
Friends
Understanding the Power of Our Most Important Relationships
Why people recommend it
Friends by Robin Dunbar is an insightful exploration of human social networks, evolutionary anthropology, and the strict cognitive limits governing our relationships. On Modern Wisdom, Chase Hughes recommended the book while sharing one of his favorite observations about social body language, suggesting that people observe the foot angles of men and women conversing at parties. Later, Chris Williamson interviewed Sonja Lyubomirsky on the podcast and asked if she had read Dunbar's book to frame a broader discussion surrounding friendship circles and social connection. Williamson also mentioned the book previously when analyzing vestigial primate behaviors and human social responses. Furthermore, Dr. Jaimie Krems appeared on Modern Wisdom and discussed Dunbar's work, pointing out a specific study detailed in the text regarding how men and women stand when facing one another. Dr. Krems shared a personal connection to the volume, noting that she had sent the book to her parents because she actually appears in it, given that Robin Dunbar served as her former academic advisor.
Who recommended it
- Chris Williamson Discussed
- Chase Hughes Recommended
- Dr Jaimie Krems Discussed
Chris Williamson — 2 mentions
“Did you read uh friends by Robin Dunbar?”
“friends I did this book friends really great”
Chase Hughes — 1 mention
“One of my favorite insights about blading is from Robin Dunbar, and he has this book called Friends. A cool thing that you can do the next time that you're a party is look at the angle of the feet of men talking to each other and of women talking to each other.”
Dr Jaimie Krems — 1 mention
“did you see in Friends by Robin Dunbar there was a study done on the angle that men stand facing each other and the women stand facing each other did you see this no I read that book too I I sent it to my parents because I'm in it”