Who Needs Friends

An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America

Paperback

Variants

by Andrew McCarthy

$31.00

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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER

A moving and provocative exploration of male friendship and loneliness, from New York Times bestselling author, filmmaker, and actor Andrew McCarthy as he crisscrosses the country to reconnect with his friends.

"[A] soulful book, filled with the kind of bighearted, amiable characters who one hopes will populate any road trip." - New York Times

“You don’t really have any friends, do you, Dad?”

A seemingly innocuous, if direct, question from Andrew McCarthy’s son left him reeling. McCarthy did have friends, but like so many other men, the necessities of modern adult life had forced his friendships to the background. At one point his friends had been instrumental in broadening his horizons, bolstering his courage, providing safe harbor. Now, McCarthy found himself questioning what had happened to those friendships, whether he needed them, what he valued, and what he had to offer. A simple question had become a moment that demanded a reckoning.

Who Needs Friends charts McCarthy’s journey over nearly ten thousand miles behind the wheel, following him on often-unexpected travels through Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, the Chihuahuan Desert, the Rocky Mountains with one driving purpose: to reconnect. Along the way he talks to countless men about their male friendships, from cowboys and blues musicians to preachers and rootless teens. What began as a simple desire to catch up with a few friends turned into a deep exploration of the challenges and rewards that men experience in forming bonds with each other.

In McCarthy’s own words, “It turns out that guys have a difficult time with friendship.” But that’s not the way it needs to be.

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Published By Grand Central Publishing

Format Paperback

Category

Biography & Memoir

Personal Memoirs

Parenting & Family

General/Other

Travel

Essays

Cultural Icons & Historical Figures

Number Of Pages 384

Publication Date 03/24/2026

ISBN 9781538783214

Dimensions 5.5 inches x 8.25 inches

"Who Needs Friends is a wonderful story, beautifully told. An important book about friendship, and loyalty, and men telling each other the truth most of all. When you finish it, you will want to reconnect with an old friend of your own, I know I did." —Mike Lupica, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"[F]ascinating and absorbing...The book is particularly compelling when McCarthy charts his own progress, recording the ups and downs of his grand tour and chronicling his mission 'to reclaim what I hope I haven’t lost.' His travels take him – and us – to some rewarding places."—Christian Science Monitor

“Who Needs Friends is a hopeful story about the passage of time and friendship that, while unscientific, may inspire readers to pick up a phone and call someone. In doing so, McCarthy shows how to connect not only with others, but also with the fullest versions of ourselves.”—Bookpage

"[I]nspiring, impactful, and revealing." —Booklist

“…a poignant, life affirming look at American men yearning for closer bonds.”—Publishers Weekly

"Thoughtful and well written—and a good prompt to call an old friend."—Kirkus Reviews

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