I just finished reading the book and felt it was a very moving.. I moved to Ames in 1990 my senior year in high school. My sister and I attended Gilbert High School which is just north of Ames. During that first semester we met Sara who became a very close friend of ours. This year we celebrated our 20 year friendship by having a girls wkend. After reading this book it made me appreciate the friendship that we have with her. She is our sister. Friendship is the most wonderful thing!

After reading through half of the book, I started to think about how I am looking forward to two of my childhood girlfriends coming back to our hometown this weekend. During our lunch date, I intend to give them both a copy of this book...

From what I remember, we were a typical threesome in that we were the best of friends, always deciding which of the two were closest. As life sometimes goes, Anne's family moved away after fourth grade and we lost touch until she came back for a very short visit around seventh grade. We then completely lost touch until we reconnected on Facebook last year... Anne made it back for a visit last month and it was if she and I had never lost touch. I can only imagine how magnified it would have been if Michelle had been able to join us. (They are meeting in Omaha this week and driving back to Davenport, IA for a get-together with other childhood friends-- I am so excited, yet envious!) While I won't be able to see them much this weekend, I have no doubt that this will not be a last visit now that we can communicate in so many ways.

It was so enlightening to read this book and know that sisterhoods can be big or small, life-long bonds. Bless all of you and your loved ones for making this book possible!

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were at the library each looking for a good book to take on vacation. I enjoy autobiographies, but hadn't found a book that had sparked my interest. My husband was helping my search, when he came across "The Girls from Ames"; he said, "how about this one, it looks like you and your friends". I took the book, flipped through a couple of the pages, looked at the pictures and wa-la...this was it! I could totally relate when I saw the pictures of your hair and the clothes you all were wearing, I knew we all must be around the same age.

I haven't finished the book yet. When I get to close to finishing a good book, I like to savor the last few chapters, because I sometimes get sad when I finish...that means the story ends. I absolutely love that there's a website with pictures and a video.

There were seven us of girls growing up from birth to present. The only difference was, we were also first and second cousins growing up together in Southeast Oklahoma. We had a club house and bicycle gang. We were dancers, we performed in the local talent shows, at the county fair, and at nursing homes. We were very adventurous girls, riding miles and miles on our bikes to the nearest watering hole. We pulled a few pranks as kids, some were not so nice. As we made our way through high school, we made new friends, but we always stayed close to our circle.

Today we are all in our 40's, similar life experiences, although we have never had to deal with losing a friend or child. Three years ago, we made a decision to all meet up in Dallas at Tessa's house for the weekend. We usually see each other at our family Christmas party, fall quilting, or campout in June, but it's not exclusive to just us and not everybody makes it to the other family events throughout the year, so this was special. We have since met up for a weekend with just us girls, rotating the hostess and place. Last year I hosted here in San Antonio. This year, my cousin Tracy will host in Durant, OK. We now call it "Chic-cation" and it's just us girls. We have the best time laughing, cutting up, getting ready to go out on the town and when Sunday comes, we're all sad to leave one another, but can't wait to see all the pictures of the moments we captured over the weekend.

This year I will buy the book and take it to chication, as we have started bringing gifts for the gift basket for the host. I can't wait to see the girls and tell them about this book. It's a must read!

Thank you for sharing your life experiences. I appreciate each one of you for who you are and allowing each reader, a complete stranger, to connect with you.

All the best to "the girls from Ames",
Missy Gillette

Hello from Ashland, Oregon.

I had to write you (both you ladies and Mr. Zaslow)as soon as I noticed the contact information at the back of your book. Literally, I finished reading (and am still crying, a bit) and ran upstairs to jot you a line.

To say that I can relate to many of your stories is an incredible understatement. I, too, graduated in 1981. I don't have a "group" of friends, unfortunately, but I do have a friend who's been there for me since I first moved to this small town in kindergarten. Tracy was this pixie-like blond girl and I felt a connection with her that's stayed with us for more than 42 years! Our story has a familiar tinge of all the Ames' girl's storied. Tracy had her breast removed when we were 37. My son, Michael, was diagnosed with ALL (Acute lymphocytic leukemia) in 2008. His prognosis is good, although he has an additional year of treatment(s) yet. I was one of the youngest lobbyists in the State of Oregon (a million years ago)and I am continuing, at this time, to pursue my career as a stay-at-home mother. Tracy thought she might be a famous artist (she's really good)and instead has focused her life on her two children and has been blessed to merge her love of color, art and expression in quilting (she was always better than me at geometry, dang it!) Anyho, that's a bit of our story and although it's definitely not as comprehensive as your wonderful momento, I HAD to tell you that I was truly touched by our similarities. As a strong believer, I know there was a reason for me to pick up this book at the local library and I know it wasn't merely a coincidence...God doesn't make those. Thanks for the memories!

I was presented with this book as a present from my best friend shortly after our graduation from the Journalism School at the University of Missouri. She was returning home to New Mexico while I was remaining in Columbia to apply for jobs. Other friends made their way back to Kansas City, St. Louis, and we were scattered across the country in what felt like an instant.

After going through the emotional roller-coaster rode of this book with the same friend, I feel so much better knowing that bonds like ours can keep growing even though we've been stretched apart for now.

All I can say is to these girls and the author...thank you.

You've given me hope and yet another reason to love life at a time when there's so much uncertainty about the future.

Best wishes.

I had several close friends in High School, and although we drifted apart, we have recently reconnected and are trying to keep our connections alive. (we are exactly the same age as the Ames girls). I encourage my daughters to "work" at the friendships now, I remind them the boys will come and go, but if they are true to each other their girlfriends will be with them forever.
My new friends - the reason I read this book - is for our newly founded book club. Our group started as an idea by our daughters to go on vacation together for their sweet 16 last summer - with a couple of add ons we now have ourself a book club. I treasure these new friends and hope that our friendships will grow stonger and endure time. We are looking forward to more outings with each other outside of our book club. If anything could inspire us to remain dedicated to each other and our friendship - this book did. It was truely inspirational and I can't wait til our next meeting in 2 weeks so we can discuss what a fantastic book this was, and how fantastic your friendships are.

Thank you so much for this book!! I have one girlfriend who's been my "other sister" since we were born. I am sending her the book tomorrow!! I also have a group of 4 other girls and we've been friends since we were in our early teens. We call ourselves "The dancing girls". Reading this book made it ever-more clear to me how important these woman are in my life. As I got older, I thought that I was the "odd" one who held on so closely to these childhood friends. Many friends I've gained in my twenties (who are also dear to my heart) lost touch with many of their childhood girlfriends. I can say that after reading this book, I was overcome with a sense of great pride that these 5 women have remained a constant in my for the past 20-30 years. How grateful I am that they know the toddler Jessica, the teenage Jessica, the 20 year old Jessica, and now the 30 yr old Jessica...and vice versa!!! I truly believe that there is really nothing like those tightly knit girlfriend bonds that we form in childhood and carry throughout...I have a biological sister, Jillian, who I call my twin (we are 17 months apart), and I also have 5 other sisters..Molly, Rebecca, Lindsay, Gina, and Rene..all these girls are my sisters for life!!! Thank god we are only one text, phone call, email, or plane ride away!!!

I just finished this book about 10 minutes ago and absolutely loved it. There are so many people who can relate to this book including our group of five girls who will be going to our 50th Central High School class of '61 reunion in Sioux City, Iowa, next summer. We try to reconnect as often as we can but we are all Iowa girls living in Lake Tahoe, Pennsylvania, Omaha, and Des Moines. We also keep in touch via email. Thanks so much for sharing your stories with all of us. I loved your book.

I was at a vendor conference a couple weeks ago in Charleston, SC and was browsing through the bookstore at the airport while waiting for my flight back to Milwaukee and as I read the flyleaf for this book it reminded me so much of my own group of friends that I had to buy the book. I just finished reading it and I loved it!. I am part of a group of 5 friends who have been friends since middle school/high school. In fact finishing the book tonight with all of the emotions it made me feel seemed fitting as one of our group lost their dad yesterday and as I made the calls to the other three last night, I reflected on how great it was to be able to lean on each other in hard times. I also have two grown daughters who are my best friends and it makes me so grateful to have all of these tremendous women in my life. I also have my work friends, my theatre group, neighbors, etc but no one can replace those friends that you grew up with, that grew with you! God bless the women in our lives!

I just finished reading this book and I was incredibly moved by it. I grew up in a small town in SW Iowa in the 70's and so I was intrigued by the book. I love that these women have been able to maintain this close of a friendship and I believe it to be a gift from God. I don't have the story that they do but I do maintain some of my friendships from my growing up years. These women still mean a great deal to me, but the friendships that I have established later in life have the greatest hold on my heart! I also believe that people come into our lives for a season, a reason and a lifetime. We all get our lifetime friends...some have them their entire lives while others are gifted with them later in life. It truly doesn't matter when we receive them, only that we do and we treasure who they are and what they mean to us.

Reading this story has had such a profound impact on me because it reminded me so much of my group. The group started in a school lunch room "“ 3 small groups of girls coming together because it looked like we were at the "fun table". Although we're all just 27 (which we feel is frighteningly close to 30"¦) the "Fubars", as we've called ourselves since we were 15, have been friends for over 15 years & counting. So much of what the Ames girls have gone through reminds me of our tales & "adventures" "“ and not a day has gone by in the last 5 years that I can remember not seeing an email from one of us "“ of course each member is copied whether they like it or not! We've had so so many laughs over the years but we've also "buoyed" each other through quite a lot of heartache. We lost one of our 11 "fubs" at the age of 19 in a tragic car accident that two of us were unfortunately witness to, and another one of us sadly passed away this past November in a similar manner. We hold each other up through it all "“ whether it be dancing around like crazy to a bad Whitney Houston song to help someone get over a painful & surprising break-up, to holding someone's hand while she reads a eulogy, to the simple stuff like keeping everyone up to speed with what jeans we should be wearing and what the latest Star magazine says. We are all completely different from each other in many ways, but so connected in a way we can't fit to words. The Ames girls story is extraordinarily uplifting because it is just so real and gives me great confidence that as my friends and I all move into the next phase of our lives we will still continue to be so much apart of each others (the first 3 fubars will be married this year!!). Nic, Kel, Rye, Hay, Jess, Doherty, Finos, Cass, Natty, Kimmy, Cagg (that's me! nickname of course"¦). We're quite literally sisters. I don't have a clue what I would do, or who I'd be, without them.

I could tell many similar stories about my own group of friends; like the girls from Ames, there's nothing really unusual or extraordinary about any of them. But each of our stories and the people in them are unique and extraordinary, because they're US. As I read the book, I was continuously struck by the thought that I'm one of the lucky ones. I GET it. I know that friendships like these exist all over the world, but I also realize that those true, lasting, they're-my-family friendships are rare and priceless. My girls and I--some of whom have been together since elementary school, and some who came along a few years later--are now in our late twenties. We're all at very different places in our lives--some of us still single, some now starting families, all at various stages in our careers--and we have yet to experience many of the challenges that the girls from Ames have weathered together. But we will be there for each other when those times come, no matter how far apart we are or how much time has passed since our last visit. I was so encouraged by the fact that even as the girls' lives and friendships changed, their love and support for each other did not. As my girls and I continue through this very transitional part of our lives, I am reassured that our bond truly is special and powerful enough to keep us together. We will soon gather for our annual beach trip, which is sure to include many of those laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts moments, a few tears, the spilling of secrets, and a cocktail or two...or three (provided that none of us happen to be pregnant this year!). I will be passing this book along to them, and reminding myself how fortunate I am to have these girls in my life.

We are a similar group...friends for over 53 years. All from Wayne, Nebraska (population 4200). In high school we were known as the "Daffy Dozen". We gather every 5 years for a high school reunion during Wayne's "Chicken Days" celebration. Johnny Carson used to feature the winner of the "Chicken Crowing Contest" on his show. Johnny was originally from Norfolk...just 35 miles away. Each reunion we enter a float in the "home-made Chicken parade." Several of us have won prizes in the "Chicken Song Contest." We remain close to most of our 57 classmates.

I grew up in Iowa and actually attended ISU. I never really had a close group of friends like these until about 6 years ago while living in Davenport, IA. It started out as people moving into a new neighborhood, but a bond formed among us. First it was five of us and then the group grew to eight. The first friend moved away due to a husband's job relocation, but another one joined the group and she has been the last one to join. Four others have since moved to other states or towns, including myself. However, we still try to get together once per year (even though it is hard with family activities because every one is so busy anymore). We are always there for each other and I know we always will be. There is nothing more important than the power of true friendship.

I also have to say this is the first book I have read in probably 12 years due to another friend asking if I had read it, knowing my allegiance to ISU. I am so glad this is the book that has started me reading again. I was hooked from the beginning.

Thank you for writing it!

There are 8 of us...we don't have a fun name like the Shit Sisters...we've always just been, "The Girls". A few met in elementary, a few more were added in middle school and by 9th grade we were all in! We are all 32 years old now and have shared in many joys and sorrows. We grew up in Athens, GA, a college town like Ames. Two of us, myself and Meghan, have Iowa roots. Her mother and mine actually lived in the same apartment building in the 70's. It's those kind of connections that led us to becoming friends but it's so much more that has led to us remaining so close. We are in 5 states and one in China but we always make at least one trip a year to be together. Sometimes for celebrations like the 5 weddings and sometimes for support, one of the girls' husband killed himself and two weeks later another lost a brother to alcoholism. We've just begun the child rearing portion with the newest arrival just this week, Taylor Elizabeth. Four weeks ago we also welcomed Rosemary Sophia to add to the 3 others.
My trip this week was to visit Meghan in Philly to visit with her and her Rosemary. She was reading The Girls from Ames. And so I read while she breast fed, while she slept and even when I was washing my hands...I couldn't put it down. I am not a reader, to say the least, this was honestly the 3rd book I've read and completed in the last 6 years. And I read it in 3 days, which is so unlike me. I loved the book and have already started recommending it to everyone. I am giving this copy to my mom tomorrow. She grew up in Iowa City and still keeps in touch with her best friend Diane that she has known since the 6th grade. Mothers instill the importance of friendship in their daughters and I am so grateful that she instilled in me the importance of being a good friend. Although I am not always the best friend I could be, I feel so blessed to have my 7 girls that understand and love me no matter what. There is no substitute for that love.
Thank you.