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Title details for The First Ladies by Marie Benedict - Wait list

The First Ladies

by Marie Benedict
Victoria Christopher Murray
Audiobook
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The Instant New York Times Bestseller! 
A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune—an unlikely friendship that changed the world, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian.

The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents. Eleanor Roosevelt herself is awestruck and eager to make her acquaintance. Initially drawn together because of their shared belief in women’s rights and the power of education, Mary and Eleanor become fast friends confiding their secrets, hopes and dreams—and holding each other’s hands through tragedy and triumph.
 
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected president, the two women begin to collaborate more closely, particularly as Eleanor moves toward her own agenda separate from FDR, a consequence of the devastating discovery of her husband’s secret love affair. Eleanor becomes a controversial First Lady for her outspokenness, particularly on civil rights. And when she receives threats because of her strong ties to Mary, it only fuels the women’s desire to fight together for justice and equality.
 
This is the story of two different, yet equally formidable, passionate, and committed women, and the way in which their singular friendship helped form the foundation for the modern civil rights movement.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 27, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593684276
      • File size: 419076 KB
      • Duration: 14:33:04

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 29, 2023
      Benedict and Murray (The Personal Librarian) deliver a dazzling narrative of the friendship between first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Black educator Mary McLeod Bethune. The two women meet at a conference in 1927, when Eleanor runs a progressive girls’ school and Mary serves as president of a college. Eleanor, who is estranged from her husband, Franklin, because of his affair with Lucy Mercer, joins Mary’s campaign to stop lynching and secure greater civil rights for Black people. After Franklin becomes president, he stymies Eleanor and Mary’s efforts by taking advice from powerful allies who caution against upsetting a Southern Democratic base that supports segregation and resists anti-lynching efforts. Mary, dubbed “the first lady of struggle” by Eleanor, is confident, transactional, and unafraid of “audacious asks,” however, and persuades Eleanor to intercede with the president on Mary’s behalf. Although Mary accomplishes much for African Americans, including the appointment of the first Black Air Force general, she is accused of pandering to the Roosevelts by younger activists who want to march on Washington, D.C., when Franklin doesn’t live up to his promise of ending discrimination in the military. Eleanor intervenes again, convincing Franklin to issue an executive order. The heart of the story lies in its rich portrayal of such historical events and figures as the rise of fascism, WWII, the internment of Japanese Americans, and Billie Holiday. This is a potent tale of two crusading women’s accomplishments. Agents: (for Benedict) Laura Dail, Laura Dail Literary; (for Murray) Liza Dawson, Liza Dawson Assoc.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrators Robin Miles and Tavia Gilbert are an enchanting duet in this historical fiction. In alternating chapters, they navigate the decades-long friendship and political partnership of Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt. After an initial meeting fraught with racial inequity and tension, Bethune and Roosevelt forge a bond rooted in their shared concerns about education and civil rights. Miles voices Mary as a woman of great purpose who acknowledges injustice while refusing to be constrained by it. Her measured yet firm tones are softened by her Southern accent. Gilbert's Eleanor is initially less certain of her intentions but grows to understand the power she wields as first lady to achieve the goals she decides upon. Gilbert captures Eleanor's recognizable slightly high, clipped speaking voice. N.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      November 1, 2023

      Benedict and Murray offer a second collaborative work (following The Personal Librarian), chronicling the friendship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, who meet in 1927 at a women's luncheon and immediately sense a connection. Mary, already a well-known educator and activist, is a loyal member of the Republican party; Eleanor is working on behalf of her husband, currently serving as governor of New York but considering a run for the presidency. The chapters alternate between Eleanor's perspective (narrated by Tavia Gilbert) and Mary's (voiced by Robin Miles) and clearly show how racism and segregation impact their interactions and society's expectations for how they should behave. Eleanor and Mary begin by working together on governmental and educational reforms and eventually develop a warm personal friendship that endures for decades. Miles and Gilbert provide evocative, sensitive performances, although the subtle distinctions between their depictions can be confusing. VERDICT Fans of Benedict and Murray's first book will be delighted with this well-researched account of a groundbreaking friendship. Recommended for those who enjoyed Kelly O'Connor McNees's Undiscovered Country.--Susan Cox

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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