My Pithy Book Recommendation in the Star Tribune

Well, this was fun to see in the Star Tribune! Sometime during the lockdown period in Minnesota, I saw a call from the Star Tribune books section asking for good quarantine reads. I immediately thought of R. Eric Thomas’s essay collection HERE FOR IT.

You can click on the very tiny article to see why! And you can see all my pithy 2020 reviews here. I’m on number 47 and 48 right now.

Bio
Latest Posts

Nina Badzin

Nina Badzin hosts the podcast Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. She's been writing about friendship since 2014, co-leads the writing groups at ModernWell in Minneapolis, and reviews 30+ books a year on her website.

Latest posts by Nina Badzin (see all)

#186 – The Friend Who Copies You: Flattering or Frustrating? - March 1, 2026
#185 – When Career Success Strains Your Friendships - February 22, 2026
#184 – Socially Connected, Emotionally Unsettled: The Friendship Paradox - February 15, 2026
#183 – Are You Mad at Me? Friendship Anxiety and the Need for Validation - February 8, 2026

Podcast Transcript

Nina Badzin
November 6, 2020

Hi, I'm Nina

DEAR NINA: Conversations About Friendship is a top 1% podcast and newsletter about being a better friend and having better friends.

I’m the host, Nina Badzin, a writer who accepted a position as a friendship advice columnist in 2014 and never stopped discussing the topic.

DEAR NINA, the podcast, started in 2021, and has been referenced in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, The Skimm, and many other media outlets.

Take a look around! With almost 200 episodes and years of articles, your friendship dilemma is probably covered here. Welcome!

Get The Newsletter

I send emails through Substack with the latest anonymous friendship letters, podcast episodes, book reviews, and more.

Hi, I'm Nina

HI, I’M NINA BADZIN. I’m a writer fascinated by the dynamics of friendship, and I’ve been answering anonymous advice questions on the topic since 2014. I now also answer them on my podcast, Dear Nina! I’m a creative writing instructor at ModernWell in Minneapolis, a freelance writer and editor, and an avid reader who reviews 50 books a year. Welcome to my site!

Get The Newsletter

I send an email once or twice a month with the latest friendship letters, podcast episodes, book reviews, recipes, and more.

Hi, I'm Nina

DEAR NINA: Conversations About Friendship is a podcast and newsletter about the ups and downs of adult friendship. I’m the host, Nina Badzin, a Minneapolis-based writer who accepted a position as a friendship advice columnist in 2014 and never stopped. DEAR NINA, the podcast, started in 2021, and has been referenced in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, The Guardian, The Chicago Tribune, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, and elsewhere!

Get The Newsletter

I send emails through Substack with the latest anonymous friendship letters, podcast episodes, book reviews, and more.