The First Ladies

Having read this book, I am so thankful for learning about Mary McLeod Buthune. What an extraordinary woman. I have always admired Eleanor Roosevelt and I was happy to learn more about her life. I was surprised I had never heard about her connection with Mrs. Buthune. I found this to be an easy read and enjoyed the book very much.

Gave this to my Sister who loves everything Political.

I had never heard of Dr. Bethune and wonder why she is not a household name. She was an amazing woman and trailblazer. Her dignity and determination is a wonder considering how she came into this world. What a leader! Her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt, another force of nature, was a thing of beauty. Their mutual respect allowed them to help change the world. We should all understand their influence in our culture and in the advancement of race relations. Much of this book was fictional but their friendship was real and powerful as was their accomplishments. Great and quick read..

Enjoyed this book very much’

I loved this story of these two amazing ladies that were responsible for making sure every man or woman, white or black were treated equally! This story was heartwarming. I recommend this book to everyone.

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As a person who studied Eleanor Roosevelt , I learned of her particularly close friendship and activist role in racism in all forms.

A great historical fiction portrayal of two dynamic courageous women! It highlighted their struggles, contributions to civil rights and equality in this country.

How is it possible that I have never heard anything about Mrs Mary McLeod Bethune? Speaks to the premise of the entire book. So very glad a read it! Learned so much.

A good book about Elonanor Rosevelt and Mary,a friend, and the tension between the races at that time. It is a book on what was expected of people' It is a good historical novel based on what actually happened or could have.

Eleanor and Dr Bethune come to life in this historical novel. Make sure to read writer notes after not before.Well researched and a great write.I bought 5 copies to send to all the women in my life

I learned so much by reading this book; however, it got a little tedious and redundant. I think some of it could have been left out.

I have enjoyed reading many of Marie Benedict’s books. So I was anxious to also read this one. I learn so much from each book. This book was different. I learned so much about myself and also about how I’ve missed lessons along the way in my life. I was raised to not look at the color of a person’s skin but to be open to all people. But what was lacking was an understanding of what others have gone through in their daily lives and how that affected them and how I might have had a part in that without even realizing it. I am a senior citizen who is not through learning how to make the world a better place for us all.

I’ve lived in Florida for decades so I was familiar with Bethune Cookman College (now university). As an English teacher, I was more focused on teaching about Zora Neale Hurston, Florida’s famous Harlem Renaissance author. I wish I’d learned more about Mrs. Bethune and shared that with my students. Although my classrooms often resembled a United Nations assembly, I believe that we still have a long way to go until all people are truly treated with respect and equality.The unlikely friendship between a wealthy white woman with a famous name and the daughter of a sharecropper came alive on the pages of this book. The wisdom and trust they shared helped our nation survive the desperation of thr Great Depression and World War II. I found myself pausing my reading to absorb the almost poetic words the author used to bring these two historical figures to life.I read a couple books each week. This is the best I’ve read in a very long time.

I am a total history geek and reading this book just brought me so much pleasure! I loved both of the characters and have always admired Eleanor Roosevelt. It was great learning about Mary McLeod Bethune who I did not know! What's strong female characters! I think this would be a great book for any woman to read especially younger girls and women who need to see people that they can admire and consider role models!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Book club rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨ (3.8 average)The First LadiesBy: Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher MurrayGenre: Historical Fiction✨ First, yay for a wonderful book club at our favorite coffee shop @802_bean_company and enjoyed some St. Patty’s day drinks and a small baby shower for a member ♥️✨ This book is about two incredible women who deserve recognition for Women’s History month. I learned a lot about Mary Bethune McLeod, the First Lady of the Struggle, and Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady of the United States and wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The two women developed a working partnership and personal friendship during a time when it was not common for a black woman and a white woman to do so, setting the stage for progressive new policies and pushes towards equity. Swipe for synopsis!✨ I found it fascinating that the authors were only able to gather much of this history through the Pittsburgh Courier, the colored newspaper at the time. Go Pittsburgh 🖤💛✨ Mary outlined the commonalities between herself and Eleanor and these are also some of my most important beliefs:♥️A belief that youth are our future♥️A desire to elevate women♥️A dedication to education♥️A drive for service✨ I liked the short chapters and clear dual character POV.✨ I was interested in the nods to the open marriage between FDR and Eleanor as well as the alleged Boston marriage she may have had. FDR is more of a cad than I ever knew too 🤣✨ It was interesting to explore the transition of the two parties through the time - Republicans were traditionally the party of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and Democrats included the racist policies of the Southern Democrats. This began to transition and change during FDRs three term presidency due to Eleanor Roosevelt’s thinking and Mary’s party support.✨I didn’t rate this as highly as my favorite book co-written by these two, The Personal Librarian. I appreciated that it covered such a long time from the Depression to the New Deal and into WWII but I didn’t feel hugely moved by a plot. I think this one’s for those who like character relationships and development over plot driven books.

Just finished "The First Ladies," a historical fiction novel by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.The narrative describes the extraordinary partnership and profound friendship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, two remarkable women from vastly different backgrounds. The tale unfolds over a 20- plus year period of turmoil and change in American history.One becomes sensitive to the amount of respect both women deserve. Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, emerges as a formidable force against the backdrop of racial injustice.  Eleanor Roosevelt steps beyond her role as First Lady to champion civil rights. Together, they forge a bond grounded in their shared dedication to women's rights and the power of education.The authors skillfully depict the societal challenges and personal adversities faced by both women. The story unfolds against a challenging historical period, which only showcases the pivotal role these women played in laying the foundation for the modern civil rights movement."The First Ladies" is not just a historical novel; it's a tribute to two pioneers whose friendship defied the norms of their time. The author's meticulous research and writing style of narrating the events from each characters alternating perspective makes this book a must-read for fans of historical fiction. Beautifully written and educational, "The First Ladies" is a tribute to the enduring power of friendship and the relentless pursuit of justice..Check it out

I have been a fan of Marie Benedict for some time and am now a new fan of Victoria Christopher Murray’s as well.I learned a lot as I read this (as and e-book) and was able to take a deeper dive into the characters, the events and the times described in this wonderfully crafted bit of historical fiction as I read (one reason why I have come to enjoy reading books in an e-book format is that I can easily fact check and fill in the many blanks in my personal knowledge base!Essentially, this is the story of Eleanor Roosevelt’s decades long friendship with Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, a force of nature who spent her life advocating for racial equality during the dark times of Jim Crow laws and the KKK. Together these two very formidable women worked together to advocate for racial equality and for women’s rights as well.There was so very much that I was unaware of about so many things that happened during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidential terms! What a complicated country we are!I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the learning that happened as I read it. Beautifully written. Moving. Educational. Read this book!

THE FIRST LADIES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is a biographical historical fiction novel of a beautiful and significant friendship between a First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt and the First Lady of the Struggle, Mary McLeod Bethune. The story spans two decades with the Depression, World War II, Jim Crow laws, lynching, and the continual fight for social equality with these two strong women fighting together for change.While I felt knowledgeable about this period and Eleanor Roosevelt’s work for social improvements for all, I did not know about Mary McLeod Bethune’s contributions. The story of their friendship is told in alternating chapters. Mary is older, a Lincoln Republican and has been fighting for education for Negroes and equality her entire life when she meets Eleanor (who is not a First Lady at the time). They strike up an unlikely friendship that endures triumphs and tragedies, both personal and political.I loved the new historical facts and people I learned of while reading this story. For me, research and facts in a historical story are important and I always hope to learn something new. The candid conversations between the two highlighted common misunderstandings between the races, racial discrimination, and segregation. As the two grew closer, I enjoyed the scenes where they would work around the system, problem, or President to get the solution they wanted. While this is an engaging story of historical friendship, it also delves into the politics of the times to a great degree. I love politics, both past and present, but for some who are hoping for a book only about the two women’s friendship, they may not enjoy it as much as I did.This is a book of a loving friendship, but it also delves into the darkness of racial hate, lynching, and segregation. The disrespect of humans for just the color of their skin was ever present in this period of American history (not that it isn’t today), but Eleanor was the First Lady and with her power and the help of her friend Mary, she continuously and publicly fought to change society.I highly recommend this powerful biographical historical fiction about two amazing First Ladies!

A fictional story based on the genuine and revealing friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt, an outspoken first lady and strong proponent of women's rights and equality for all, and Activist, Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune (known as "First Lady of the Struggle”) who fought for the rights of the “negro”. Their friendship occurred during a time when it was almost unheard of for blacks and whites to share a close friendship - especially in public.Several years following his near death from polio, Theodore Roosevelt was still working to strengthen himself. He used a wheelchair only in private. In public he wanted to be seen as strong. In 1898 he was elected as the Governor of New York, later he became the 26th president of the United States. After Eleanor discovered that Teddy was having an ongoing extramarital affair they lived together as husband and wife in name only but remained political partners.The book begins in 1927 and runs through the epilogue in 1945. The chapters are very brief and alternate the point-of-view of Mary and Eleanor. The reading can be slow and the book itself is quite detailed and repetitive. Since the events are told from two points of view, everything was repeated. Sometimes I felt like I was reading the diaries of the two women rather than a novel. Initially, the book was quite compelling, full of interesting information on each of the women and their backgrounds. Unfortunately, there are so many extraneous details that the story deteriorated into a lot of needless minutiae. Needlessly detailed conversations and descriptions of events and people occurred throughout. Honestly, despite the fascinating subject matter, the book became tedious and I considered not finishing on more than one occasion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book focuses on the friendship of two ladies who according to many should not have been same room because of the color of their skin. Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune.Eleanor was a woman who believed in making differences, especially when her husband became President and even afterwards. She was one of those who didn’t always take no for an answer especially when her mother in law Sara was on her side as well. So when she heard about Mrs Mary McLeod Bethune, she wanted to meet her in the 1920s. Over the years their friendship grew and with it changes were made. Not always fast, not always the exact way that they wanted but still ones that made a huge difference in millions of peoples lives during the war.Who is Mrs Bethune? She is someone that we should all know about but hardly anyone does. Her parents were slaves, yes slaves, but when they were freed, she was born free in 1875. She thought she would become a missionary but instead she became so much more, an educator, starting a private school that would go on to become a major college,a business woman, President of the NACWC, founder of the NCNW, an advisor to President Roosevelt, the only woman of color at the founding conference of the United Nations and the list continues.While this book is fiction, so not every character will be true or the events that took place happened in that order, it does tell you a story of 2 ladies from two different parties, working together to make the changes that made a large impact on this world. It is one of the few books that I have both in print and electronic because I find it a necessity for my library. These two authors create such amazing stories, I cannot wait for their next adventure together.