New research shows how crucial friendship is not only for happiness and emotional well-being, but physical health too, a new book reveals
For many of us, the top of our life priority list might look something like this: family, work—maybe exercise. Time with friends can sometimes end up near the bottom.
That’s a mistake, says Lydia Denworth, a science journalist and the author of the new book “Friendship,” which was published last month by W.W. Norton & Co. Ms. Denworth interviews animal biologists studying baboons and rhesus macaque monkeys, anthropologists and neuroscientists to uncover just how important friendship is not only for happiness and emotional health, but, she argues, physical health, too. In fact, friends are key to our very survival, Ms. Denworth asserts.
Lydia Denworth, author of the new book, ‘Friendship,’ is a science journalist.
PHOTO: JESSICA BARTHEL
Here are edited excerpts from an interview.