Boy Friends

An intimate and original memoir of love, grief and male friendship by one of Scotland’s brightest young talents.

‘As perfect a portrait of friendship as I’ve ever read.’ STEPHEN FRY

‘Lucid, lyrical, loaded . . . A love letter to friendship.’ JACKIE KAY

‘A lovely book: bright and heartfelt, funny and refreshing.’ ANDREW O’HAGAN

‘A beautiful, moving, life-affirming book.’ IAN RANKIN

Friendships might just be the greatest love affairs of our lives . . .

In 2018 poet and author Michael Pedersen lost a cherished friend, Scott Hutchison, soon after their collective voyage into the landscape of the Scottish Highlands. Just weeks later, Michael began to write to him. As he confronts the bewildering process of grief, what starts as a love letter to one magical, coruscating human soon becomes a paean to all the gorgeous male friendships that have transformed his life.

‘An inclusive, collective hug, sharing platter of a book that takes us along for the ride . . . and while it’s undeniably about male friendships, it’s a journey you don’t have to be a ‘boy’ to enjoy . . . life-affirming.’
THE SCOTSMAN

‘Bonds between male friends have remained weirdly neglected, as if we are scared to examine them too closely. Thank goodness for Michael Pedersen’s honesty and humour. Here is a hymn to the alchemy of friendship.’
HELEN MORT, CAUGHT BY THE RIVER