What do you think?
Rate this book
The Friends
A powerful, award-winning novel about friendship.
Phyllisia Cathy--She is fourteen. Her problems seem overwhelming: New York, after life on her sunlit West Indies island, is cold, cruel and filthy. She is insulted daily and is beaten up by classmates. What Phyllisia needs, God not being interested, is a friend.
Edith Jackson--She is fifteen. Her clothes are unpressed, her stockings bagging with big holes. Her knowledge of school is zero. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is kind and offers her friendship and protection to Phyllisia. "And so begins the struggle that is the heart of this very important book: the fight to gain perception of one's own real character; the grim struggle for self-knowledge."--Alice Walker, The New York Times
Phyllisia Cathy--She is fourteen. Her problems seem overwhelming: New York, after life on her sunlit West Indies island, is cold, cruel and filthy. She is insulted daily and is beaten up by classmates. What Phyllisia needs, God not being interested, is a friend.
Edith Jackson--She is fifteen. Her clothes are unpressed, her stockings bagging with big holes. Her knowledge of school is zero. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is kind and offers her friendship and protection to Phyllisia. "And so begins the struggle that is the heart of this very important book: the fight to gain perception of one's own real character; the grim struggle for self-knowledge."--Alice Walker, The New York Times
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
About the author
Rosa Guy
29 books72 followersRosa Cuthbert Guy (1925-2012) was an American writer.
Born in Trinidad, Rosa Guy moved to the United States with her family at the age of seven, where they settled in New York in 1932. Soon after, her parents, Henry and Audrey Cuthbert, died. After, she and her sister went to many foster homes. She quit school at age fourteen and took a job to help support her family.
During World War II she joined the American Negro Theatre. She studied theatre and writing at the University of New York.
Guy wrote a number of books aimed at young adults. Many of her books reflect on the dependability of family members who love and care for one other. Her works include: Bird at My Window (1966), Children of Longing (1971), The Friends (1973), Ruby (1976), Edith Jackson (1978), The Disappearance (1979), Mirror of Her Own (1981), A Measure of Time (1983), and New Guys Around the Block (1983), Paris, Pee Wee and Big Dog (1984), My Love, My Love, or the Peasant Girl (1985), And I Heard a Bird Sing (1987).
She is divorced from Warner Guy, with whom she had a son, Warner Guy Jr.
Born in Trinidad, Rosa Guy moved to the United States with her family at the age of seven, where they settled in New York in 1932. Soon after, her parents, Henry and Audrey Cuthbert, died. After, she and her sister went to many foster homes. She quit school at age fourteen and took a job to help support her family.
During World War II she joined the American Negro Theatre. She studied theatre and writing at the University of New York.
Guy wrote a number of books aimed at young adults. Many of her books reflect on the dependability of family members who love and care for one other. Her works include: Bird at My Window (1966), Children of Longing (1971), The Friends (1973), Ruby (1976), Edith Jackson (1978), The Disappearance (1979), Mirror of Her Own (1981), A Measure of Time (1983), and New Guys Around the Block (1983), Paris, Pee Wee and Big Dog (1984), My Love, My Love, or the Peasant Girl (1985), And I Heard a Bird Sing (1987).
She is divorced from Warner Guy, with whom she had a son, Warner Guy Jr.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
May 21, 2008
I just finished reading this book for the second time, and it's one of the best books I've read for young adults. The story centers around Phyllisia, a young girl from the West Indies who has just moved to Harlem. Phylissia is intelligent and strong willed. When a poor girl named Edith sticks up for her in class, Phyllsia realizes, with some distress, that she'll have to pretend to be her friend. Thus begins a story that investigates social/economic class in a very personal, experiential way. My students are getting a lot out of this book. The plot structure and character development are both well done.
March 15, 2008
Great look at the cultural shocks newly arrived female teen (Caribbean) has in Harlem's volatile early 1970s. Again, some twist on the adult(caregiver)/child dynamics as well as the class, race, institutional break downs.
Unfortunately there aren't more novels from this genre and equally regretable, Rosa Guy's other sequels: "Ruby" and "Edith Jackson" are no longer in print. I'm told Ruby is very good.
Poitier's "Measure of a Man" is a great insight to Phy's and her family's experiences prior to coming to the US.
Unfortunately there aren't more novels from this genre and equally regretable, Rosa Guy's other sequels: "Ruby" and "Edith Jackson" are no longer in print. I'm told Ruby is very good.
Poitier's "Measure of a Man" is a great insight to Phy's and her family's experiences prior to coming to the US.
June 5, 2021
Phyllisia has just moved to Harlem from the West Indies, and she is harassed and bullied by her classmates for the way she talks and for being a teacher's pet. She wants to make a friend, but the only one who will be friends with her is a desperately poor girl named Edith. Edith does befriend Phyl, and, with Edith's support, the bullying is stopped, and things get better for Phyllisia. But at home Phyl has problems, too, with a dad who strictly disciplines Phyl and her sister, and a mom who is very ill.
The Friends is a cruelly honest depiction of life for a young girl, new to New York, with family troubles, who is made stronger and better through a friendship with a girl who has deep troubles of her own.
A 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.
The Friends is a cruelly honest depiction of life for a young girl, new to New York, with family troubles, who is made stronger and better through a friendship with a girl who has deep troubles of her own.
A 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.
October 24, 2009
I've read "The Friends" when I was a little younger and the again recently, I'm surprised that I forgot how interesting this book is. It tells the story of a young girl,Ruby, who has a hard time fitting in with American culture. She is from Haiti, I assume, and she is extremely smart, but, sorry to say, ignorant in a way. When her entire class is mean to her and one person Edith saves her from further trouble, she manages to lose her temporarily all because she thinks she's better and above the one peron who never turned their back on her. Ruby's having severe family problems and finds it hard to cope.
June 4, 2009
IRB#3 This book was extremly great. If you are from the carribean like myself you will be able to relate to the protagonist Philliysia. It was a very great book filled with drama and suspense. I would also recamend this book to teenagers who have a difficult time communicating with there parents.
July 30, 2012
An okay book. While the plot has all the hallmarks of the a classic YA novel, the writing lets it down a bit. The West Indian speak was cool, but not cool enough and a bit all over the place really. What was most interesting this book is the divisions among black classes. Middle class children shocked to realized that father's restaurant caters to poor black customers; black middle class snobbishness towards to poorer people, especially when it relates to shabby clothes; and the hypocritical propriety of parents. Coming after reading The Expendable Man I feel like I've read more books about the black middle class in the past weeks than ever before.
But again, the writing is a bit weak and overall I was slightly disappointed in the book. Which may be okay since it was meant to be written for someone much younger than me.
But again, the writing is a bit weak and overall I was slightly disappointed in the book. Which may be okay since it was meant to be written for someone much younger than me.
September 19, 2020
There's not much I love more than a Black girl coming of age story - and a classic one is icing on the cake! I truly loved reading about the friendship between Phyl and Edith. I fell in love (and sometimes annoyance) with the characters in this book and really wonder what happens after the novel ends though I am not sure if I am up for reading a trilogy. I see now that with Rosa Guy and The Friends was the blueprint for young adult literature centered on Black girlhood. Great read.
August 24, 2007
I admit I'm curious about what happens in the next two novels Guy wrote with these characters (Ruby, Edith Jackson), and the fact that I'm curious means that the story achieved its ends, somewhat...
October 15, 2007
One of my favorite booktalks in the 90's. The friends are Phyllisia, newly arrived in Harlem from the Caribbean, and Edith Jackson, a girl who is often picked on in school.
October 1, 2022
This 1973 Young Adult fiction is set in Harlem, a time of unrest, deep rifts in society… almost 50 years and it read so much like 2022.
“The Friends” is a story is an intimate and heart wrenching friendship between teen girls. The issues explored are timeless. Written from Phyllisia’s point of view, we see her teen struggles into adulthood with deep losses as well as stunning insights and resolve.
The 1983 Bantam Books has an illustration by Max Ginsburg of the two friends on a subway in Harlem. It is a captivating image, the hook line is:
“Life is tough. Life is real. Friendship is Beautiful.”
It delivered. As the NYT says it is a heart slammer!
“The Friends” is a story is an intimate and heart wrenching friendship between teen girls. The issues explored are timeless. Written from Phyllisia’s point of view, we see her teen struggles into adulthood with deep losses as well as stunning insights and resolve.
The 1983 Bantam Books has an illustration by Max Ginsburg of the two friends on a subway in Harlem. It is a captivating image, the hook line is:
“Life is tough. Life is real. Friendship is Beautiful.”
It delivered. As the NYT says it is a heart slammer!
June 18, 2019
I don't know what it is about young adult novels from the 1970s but they are always so, so dark and depressing. This was sad. But it was worth it to get to the end.
January 16, 2015
For fourteen-year-old Phyllisia Cathy, the problems that she has as well as her lifestyle have become increasingly overwhelming. Having recently arrived from an island in the sunlit West Indies - along with her mother, father and sixteen-year-old sister, Ruby - Phyllisia finds it a very difficult adjustment to live in New York. After growing up in such an idyllic paradise, she finds New York cold, cruel and filthy; nothing at all like her previous home. She is insulted daily and is constantly beaten up by her classmates. What Phyllisia desperately needs, as it seems divine intervention is currently unavailable, is a friend.
When she first started out searching for a friend, Phyllisia would never have put fifteen-year-old Edith Jackson's name anywhere near her list of potential candidates. Edith's clothes are unpressed, her stockings worn and baggy with big holes. She is nothing but a ragamuffin in Phyllisia's mind. Edith's knowledge of school studies is essentially zero; she barely goes to class. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is the only one kind enough to offer her friendship and protection to Phyllisia when she needs it most.
I must say that I found this to be a very intriguing book. In my opinion, it was a deeply thought-provoking and engaging story with a moral; told from a very different perspective. This is a story that I wasn't expecting to be as poignant as it was and I give this book an A+!
When she first started out searching for a friend, Phyllisia would never have put fifteen-year-old Edith Jackson's name anywhere near her list of potential candidates. Edith's clothes are unpressed, her stockings worn and baggy with big holes. She is nothing but a ragamuffin in Phyllisia's mind. Edith's knowledge of school studies is essentially zero; she barely goes to class. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is the only one kind enough to offer her friendship and protection to Phyllisia when she needs it most.
I must say that I found this to be a very intriguing book. In my opinion, it was a deeply thought-provoking and engaging story with a moral; told from a very different perspective. This is a story that I wasn't expecting to be as poignant as it was and I give this book an A+!
August 6, 2012
Language and mention of rape make this book suitable for young adults or adults.
The Friends is a highly emotional voyage into the mind of a teenage girl who immigrated from the West Indies to Harlem. It gives insight into the thought processes that motivate teenage and adult behavior. There are characters to be hated and characters to be admired but in the end the characters can at least be understood.
The following statement by Mom was important to understanding she and Calvin's roles in the novel. "I am not condemning your father. He is the way he is. I love him the way he is. I wouldn't have wanted him any other way. And because of that, today was the first time I allowed myself to see that the things we love and accept, the things we value, make us parents our children's problems." (pp. 110-111)
Most of the characters in the novel display frustration brought on by their own fears or failure to acknowledge the motives behind their own behavior. Calvin, the father, and Miss Lass, the teacher, demonstrate the power of fear. Phylissia struggles with determining values with friends and family. Edith, Phyll's friend, becomes the catalyst for everyone's change.
The Friends is a worthwhile but unsettling read.
The Friends is a highly emotional voyage into the mind of a teenage girl who immigrated from the West Indies to Harlem. It gives insight into the thought processes that motivate teenage and adult behavior. There are characters to be hated and characters to be admired but in the end the characters can at least be understood.
The following statement by Mom was important to understanding she and Calvin's roles in the novel. "I am not condemning your father. He is the way he is. I love him the way he is. I wouldn't have wanted him any other way. And because of that, today was the first time I allowed myself to see that the things we love and accept, the things we value, make us parents our children's problems." (pp. 110-111)
Most of the characters in the novel display frustration brought on by their own fears or failure to acknowledge the motives behind their own behavior. Calvin, the father, and Miss Lass, the teacher, demonstrate the power of fear. Phylissia struggles with determining values with friends and family. Edith, Phyll's friend, becomes the catalyst for everyone's change.
The Friends is a worthwhile but unsettling read.
October 29, 2010
This novel was ideal for me because it was one that I could strongly relate to. Like the protagonist, Phyllisia, I also moved to New York from the West Indies around the same age. I also had the same problems adjusting to my new environment as she did. However, it was the differences in our lives that keep me interested in the story. Unlike me she was not welcomed by loving arms, but cruelty, especially in school. Phyllisia was beaten and tormented by her classmates daily, until she meet Edith Jackson, who was her total opposite. Unlike Phyllisia, Edith was dressed in filthy clothes and was highly uninterested in school. However, it is said that opposites attract, and their friendship started. This book is great for young teens, especially the ones going through major changes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2014
I absolutely Love this book! It is so interesting, and the word choose is perfect! It really made me open my eyes, and see around me! I would definitely recommend this book! It is really hard for me to find an interesting book, that will always keep me on my toes, but when i picked this book up and started to read, it made me so... well it's just unexplainable! Even though I am only 11 years old, I really love this book! I sometimes just sit and think- "What would it really be like if I was in that time period?" I imagine what friends i would have. And thats good, because this book is a book full of imagination!
-From the Imaginer :)
-From the Imaginer :)
May 5, 2012
I had never heard of Rosa Guy until my cousin mention a book by her last month. Well as it was Ms. Guy gas been writing for years.
"The Friebds" is the story of two "friends," Edith & Phyl, that are classmates in NYC. Phyl newly arrived from "The Island" that is being bullied and beaten by the other classmates for being different and a good student. Edith eventually comes to her defense . This is a story of family issues, coming of age,differences in attitudes and cultures. I really enjoyed this story to the point that I'm reading the complete series.
"The Friebds" is the story of two "friends," Edith & Phyl, that are classmates in NYC. Phyl newly arrived from "The Island" that is being bullied and beaten by the other classmates for being different and a good student. Edith eventually comes to her defense . This is a story of family issues, coming of age,differences in attitudes and cultures. I really enjoyed this story to the point that I'm reading the complete series.
January 3, 2009
I read this book in 1975 when I first started teching. One of the kids chose it from a selection of black books which I bought from my own money as the school wasn't interested in these books - haven't come a long way? After reading her book review and a discussion I too the book home and read it overnight.
December 30, 2010
This was an odd little book. It's not that I strongly disliked it or anything. It's just that there seemed to be a lot missing. The characters seemed disconnected and irrational, so it was hard for me to connect/relate to them. Usually I can relate fairly well, so this surprised me.
February 2, 2012
I loved this book! It was a very quick read! At first, it was slightly hard to understand the context of which it was written but, reading through till the end brought me to not being able to put it down! I loved reading about the hard friendship between the two girls. Very fascinating.
July 24, 2008
Another fav read from childhood.
Read
July 30, 2008I gave this book 8/10. This book seems to be set for people who do not understand how hard it can be for some people living & sufferin by poverty or racism
October 25, 2008
This is a heartfelt book.
December 13, 2008
Black girl in NY deals with family, race, class. Odd, fascinating story, simple language.
Read
December 2, 2009So far the book is good.Her problems seem overwhelming i think she is lonely she only wants Edith but why can she make other friends??
Want to read
July 9, 2010i read this book in the college and i like
August 6, 2010
Because I will always love Rosa guy books no matter how old I am.
August 10, 2010
Don't judge people u never know when u may need them.
April 19, 2011
I loved this author when I was a teenager - many moons ago. The fact that she was from the Caribbean and wrote stories from her immigrant perspective also helped.
Read
April 25, 2011omg what a touch story
i loved reading this book
i can read over and over again
i loved reading this book
i can read over and over again
September 30, 2011
This is the book that got me hooked on reading. It was the "gateway" book in my early teens.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews