Andrew McCarthy with Jeff Kinney

Schedule

Thu Mar 26 2026 at 06:30 pm to 07:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

An Unlikely Story | Plainville, MA

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Andrew McCarthy discusses his new book, WHO NEEDS FRIENDS: AN UNSCIENTIFIC EXAMINATION OF MALE FRIENDSHIP ACROSS AMERICA.
About this Event

Join us for a very special evening to celebrate the release of New York Times bestselling author and actor Andrew McCarthy's book, Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America! Andrew will be in conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and owner of An Unlikely Story, Jeff Kinney.

Who Needs Friends is a moving and provocative exploration of male friendship and loneliness, from New York Times bestselling author, filmmaker, and actor Andrew McCarthy as he crisscrosses the country to reconnect with his friends.

Tickets for this event will be bundled with a copy of Who Needs Friends that Andrew will sign at the event. Tickets for this event will go on sale on Friday, January 23rd at 10am. Tickets are required to attend.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please reach out to [email protected].

Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at An Unlikely Story up to 30 days following the event.

About the book:

“You don’t really have any friends, do you, Dad?”
A seemingly innocuous, if direct, question from Andrew McCarthy’s son left him reeling. McCarthy did have friends, but like so many other men, the necessities of modern adult life had forced his friendships to the background. At one point his friends had been instrumental in broadening his horizons, bolstering his courage, providing safe harbor. Now, McCarthy found himself questioning what had happened to those friendships, whether he needed them, what he valued, and what he had to offer. A simple question had become a moment that demanded a reckoning.
Who Needs Friends charts McCarthy’s journey over nearly ten thousand miles behind the wheel, following him on often-unexpected travels through Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, the Chihuahuan Desert, the Rocky Mountains with one driving purpose: to reconnect. Along the way he talks to countless men about their male friendships, from cowboys and blues musicians to preachers and rootless teens. What began as a simple desire to catch up with a few friends turned into a deep exploration of the challenges and rewards that men experience in forming bonds with each other.
In McCarthy’s own words, “It turns out that guys have a difficult time with friendship.” But that’s not the way it needs to be.

About Andrew McCarthy:

Andrew McCarthy is the author of four books, Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain, Brat: An '80s Story, Just Fly Away, and The Longest Way Home — all New York Times best sellers. He is an award-winning travel writer and served for a dozen years as an editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler. Best known as an actor for the past four decades, Andrew has appeared in such iconic films as Pretty in Pink and Less Than Zero. He lives in New York.

About Jeff Kinney:

Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England, where he and his wife own a bookstore named An Unlikely Story.

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Where is it happening?

An Unlikely Story, 111 South Street, Plainville, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 33.34

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