Sociologist Dr. Yan Yager shows the impact our friends have on how long we live & how successful we are during our lifetime. The book is the culmination of more than 15 years of study & scores of original interviews & numerous surveys by Dr. Yager who found that while healthy friendships can help your self-esteem, reduce stress & improve the quality of your life, harmful friends put you in jeopardy. Friendshifts is the word coined by Dr. Yager to reflect the way friendships shift as we go from one stage in life to another, from childhood to being single, to marriage, having children retirement, or widowhood. Publishers Weekly called Friendshifts" a rewarding, sensible self-help manual," Library Journal praised it as well & Anne Fisher in Fortune wrote, "a fascinating book." In Friendshifts, Dr. Yager offers guidance on being a better friend as well what kind of friends are usually better at work. This comprehensive book also covers friendship patterns, how & why friendships begin & are maintained, coping with various kinds of endings, divorce & friendship & friendship principles that could also help with romantic or family relationships. Dr. Jan Yager, the former J.. Barkas, has discussed Friendshifts on OPRAH, THE TODAY SHOW, THE VIEW & other talk shows. She is the author of more than a dozen nonfiction books including Victims, The Help Book & Friendship (Garland, 1984), an annotated bibliography.