The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow (2009, Hardcover)

This book was purchased largely out of curiosity. I felt it would be interesting to read how friendships in a group of females survived the course of decades. One excerpt has remained and reverberated; one of father, an engineer if memory serves, matter-of-factly advised his daughter that in ten years: one of the friends would be deceased, two of the friends would be divorced, and one would still be single. His predictions would come to fruition. It was also interesting to note that breast cancer is diagnosed in one in eight women. Of the eleven girls from Ames, two developed breast cancer. From the statistics of the world standpoint, these girls are status quo. From the emotional longevity standpoint, these girls are exceptional. Friend is a term we use rather casually in our society. The term "friend" takes on an entirely new meaning within this group of women. Read this book and find admiration and respect for friendships that survive this unpredictable thing we call life.