Adam Grant just wrote a book about connection, which means friendship is officially a business-book topic. I've been saying this for years, so I'm only a little jealous. If Vibe got you thinking about your own friendships, here's what to read (and listen to) next.
1. Vibe by Adam Grant (2026)
Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World is the book everyone's talking about this fall. Start here if you want the research on why connection matters. See the book.
2. Platonic by Marisa G. Franco (2022)
The best book on why making friends as an adult feels so hard, and what to do about it.
3. The Buddy System by Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo (Audible Original)
Yes, I'm biased. Aaron and I made The Buddy System: A Modern Man's Guide to Mastering Friendship and Leveling Up Your Life, a step-by-step audio guide to making new friends and strengthening the ones you have. You can finish it in a weekend. Learn more or listen on Audible.
4. Together by Dr. Vivek Murthy (2020)
The former Surgeon General's case that loneliness is a public health problem.
5. Friendship by Lydia Denworth (2020)
The science of why friends are good for your body, not just your mood.
6. The Business of Friendship by Shasta Nelson (2020)
Practical advice on building closer friendships, from one of the best speakers in the space.
7. The Good Life by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz (2023)
Lessons from Harvard's decades-long study of adult life. Spoiler: relationships win.
8. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (2018)
How to host gatherings people actually want to come to, which is half of keeping friends.
Want one idea a week instead of a whole book?
I write The Friendship Habit, a free weekly newsletter with one friendship story and one fix you can try. Join 50,000+ readers and start the 7-Day Friendship Challenge.
New to all this? Start with my guide on how to make friends as an adult.
Matt Ritter, The Friendship Guy
