Pryor, Liz 1961-

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Pryor, Liz 1961-

PERSONAL:

Born November, 1961, in Winnetka, IL; married Thomas Calabro (an actor); children: three. Education: Graduated from Kansas University; attended the University of California, Los Angeles.

ADDRESSES:

E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer, actor, columnist, and friendship expert. Worked as a commercial and television actor. Guest on television programs, including Good Morning America.

WRITINGS:

What Did I Do Wrong? When Women Don't Tell Each Other the Friendship Is Over, Free Press (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Liz Pryor is an author and expert on friendships and relationships. Pryor earned a living as a commercial and television actor during the 1990s. Now a columnist and advisor, she writes frequently on issues related to friendships and human interaction. In What Did I Do Wrong? When Women Don't Tell Each Other the Friendship Is Over, Pryor looks at the emotionally wrenching effects that occur when women face the breakup of friendships with other women. Using anecdotes from her own life as well as the experiences of other women, Pryor recounts the trajectory of female friendships. She explores the unique characteristics and often deep emotional bonds that develop. She discusses reasons why friendships can break apart and considers the many factors that lead women toward signaling the end of friendships with everything from simply ignoring someone to treating the other person with stinging cruelty. Pryor also offers advice on the warning signs of an impending friendship rift, what can be done to mend such relationships, and when a friendship cannot be saved despite all best intentions. She presents options both for women who have been excised from a friendship and for those who face the unpleasant prospect of ending a problematic relationship with a friend. Perhaps most importantly, Pryor encourages women who have experienced the devastating effects of a shattered friendship to take steps to care for themselves, realize their own worth, and to survive with dignity, self-esteem, and emotional stability intact. Encouragingly, she notes that friendships can be repaired, and that even women who have been bitterly separated from former friends can sometimes make a successful reconnection. For Pryor, "emotional honesty is critical in allowing women to feel good about themselves and their friendship decisions," noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Pryor "does an excellent job combining empathy and advice" for women suffering the pain and distraction of a dissolving friendship, commented Deborah Bigelow in Library Journal.