Title
The Friend
Delivery time: 8-12 business days (International)
In The Chapel Of Christ'S College, Cambridge, Some Twenty Years Ago, Historian Alan Bray Made An Astonishing Discovery: A Tomb Shared By Two Men, John Finch And Thomas Baines. The Monument Featured Eloquent Imagery Dedicated To Their Friendship: Portraits Of The Two Friends Linked By A Knotted Cloth. And Bray Would Soon Learn That Finch Commonly Described His Friendship With Baines As A Connubium Or Marriage.There Was A Time, As Made Clear By This Monument, When The English Church Not Only Revered Such Relations Between Men, But Also Blessed Them. Taking This Remarkable Idea As Its Cue, The Friend Explores The Long And Storied Relationship Between Friendship And The Traditional Family Of The Church In England. This Magisterial Work Extends From The Year 1000, When Europe Acquired A Shape That Became Its Enduring Form, And Pursues Its Account Up To The Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries. Spanning A Vast Array Of Fascinating Examples, Which Range From Memorial Plaques And Burial Brasses To Religious Rites And Theological Imagery To Classic Works Of Philosophy And English Literature, Bray Shows How Public Uses Of Private Affection Were Very Common In Premodern Times. He Debunks The Nowfamiliar Readings Of Friendship By Historians Of Sexuality Who Project Homoerotic Desires Onto Their Subjects When There Were None. And Perhaps Most Notably, He Evaluates How The Ethics Of Friendship Have Evolved Over The Centuries, From Traditional Emphases On Loyalty To The Kantian Idea Of Moral Benevolence To The More Private And Sexualized Idea Of Friendship That Emerged During The Modern Era.Finely Nuanced And Elegantly Conceived, The Friend Is A Book Rich In Suggestive Propositions As Well As Eyeopening Details. It Will Be Essential Reading For Anyone Interested In The History Of England And The Importance Of Friendship In Everyday Life.History Todays Book Of The Year, 2004Brays Loving Coupledom Is Something With A Proper Historical Backbone, With Substance And Form, Something You Can Trace Over Time, Visible And Archeologicable. . . . Bray Made A Great Contribution In Helping To Bring This Long History To Light. James Davidson, London Review Of Books
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Shipping & Returns
Shipping
We ship your order within 2–3 business days for USA deliveries and 5–8 business days for international shipments. Once your package has been dispatched from our warehouse, you'll receive an email confirmation with a tracking number, allowing you to track the status of your delivery.
Returns
To facilitate a smooth return process, a Return Authorization (RA) Number is required for all returns. Returns without a valid RA number will be declined and may incur additional fees. You can request an RA number within 15 days of the original delivery date. For more details, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy page.
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Warranty
We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the main theme of 'The Friend' by Alan Bray? A: 'The Friend' explores the historical relationship between friendship and traditional family structures within the English church, tracing its evolution from the year 1000 to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
- Q: How does Alan Bray approach the topic of male friendships in the book? A: Bray examines historical examples of male friendships, arguing that they were often celebrated and even blessed by the church, challenging modern interpretations that project homoerotic desires onto historical figures.
- Q: What kind of examples does Bray use to illustrate his points? A: The book includes a variety of examples such as memorial plaques, burial brasses, religious rites, theological imagery, and references to classic works of philosophy and English literature.
- Q: What is the significance of the tomb of John Finch and Thomas Baines mentioned in the book? A: The tomb symbolizes the deep bond of friendship between the two men and highlights how such relationships were historically acknowledged and honored by the church.
- Q: When was 'The Friend' published? A: 'The Friend' was published on December 31, 2006.
- Q: What is the page count of 'The Friend'? A: 'The Friend' has a total of 392 pages.
- Q: What format is 'The Friend' available in? A: 'The Friend' is available in paperback format.
- Q: Who is the author of 'The Friend'? A: The author of 'The Friend' is Alan Bray.
- Q: Has 'The Friend' received any accolades? A: 'The Friend' was recognized as History Today’s Book of the Year in 2004.
- Q: What kind of readers would benefit from 'The Friend'? A: 'The Friend' is essential reading for those interested in English history, the evolution of friendships, and the role of affection in everyday life.