January 1, 2023
From Benedict and Murray, the New York Times best-selling authors of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian, The First Ladies assays the relationship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, whose parents were once enslaved. In theNew York Times best-selling Harmel's The Paris Daughter, Elise must go into hiding when the Germans occupy Paris during World War II and entrusts her young daughter to friend Juliette--their two girls are close--only to discover at war's end that Juliette has vanished and only one girl (but which one?) survived a bombing. In lates 1700s India, 17-year-old Abbas works under French clockmaker Lucien du Leze to create a massive tiger automaton for Tipu Sultan (called the Tiger of Mysore), then returns to apprentice with du Leze in France and eventually heads to England to rescue his tiger, which British forces treated as Loot; James'sThe Tusk That Did the Damage was a San Francisco Chronicle best book. Wandering through devastated post-World War II France, Asher finds sanctuary (but hides his Jewish identity) at The Glass Ch�teau, where glass is being manufactured to replace the shattered windows of postwar France's cathedrals: award-winning journalist/novelist Kiernan was inspired by the life of Marc Chagall. In the New York Times best-selling See's Lady Tan's Circle of Women, Yunxian is trained by her physician grandmother in 15th-century China and works with a young midwife, but an arranged marriage threatens to confine her to a life of wifely subordination. Following Tsukiyama's much-praised The Color of Air, The Brightest Star reimagines the life of Anna May Wong, the only Asian American woman to achieve fame in Hollywood's early days. In the New York Times best-selling Williams's The Beach at Summerly, caretaker's daughter Emilia Winthrop is thrilled when charismatic role model Olive Rainsford arrives at Winthrop Island's Summerly estate in 1946, then is thrown into turmoil when she learns that someone at Summerly is transmitting secrets to the Soviets.
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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.
Starred review from May 15, 2023
The second collaborative effort by Benedict and Murray, following The Personal Librarian (2021), follows the 30-year friendship between civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Their first meeting opened Eleanor's eyes to the racism Black Americans faced every day and sparked a lasting bond. Mary, known as the First Lady of the Struggle for her activism, and Roosevelt, first lady during Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four-term presidency, joined forces to champion civil rights. With Eleanor's support, Mary became a trusted adviser to the president and the first African American woman to head a federal agency. The public nature of their friendship was also groundbreaking; the two women dined together, stayed at each other's homes, and walked arm-in-arm, causing raised eyebrows and much worse reactions in harshly segregated 1930s America. The story alternates between Mary and Eleanor, allowing the reader to view the same event from both women's perspectives, illustrating the very different ways life was experienced on either side of the color line. While the depictions of the women's activism are inspiring, the novel really shines in the behind-the-scenes moments when the women support each other during personal struggles with marital infidelity, illness, and loss. This impeccably researched, relevant novel is a must-read and destined to be a book club favorite.
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Starred review from May 1, 2023
Murray and Benedict (The Personal Librarian) team up again with this novel told in alternating viewpoints by two formidable women. In the United States, in 1927, segregation is the law of the land, no matter what the actual law says. One of the fiercest proponents of equal rights, Mary McLeod Bethune, meets a woman who will herself become a strong proponent of equality, among many other projects: Eleanor Roosevelt. Over the ensuing years, through the Great Depression, and the gubernatorial and presidential terms of Eleanor's husband Franklin, Mary and Eleanor forge a great alliance of minds and an unshakable bond of sisterhood. Readers will experience events of the late 1920s to late 1940s as they affected the main characters. Both women face personal hurdles, doubts, and negativity, but in the end, they stand strong. While complete desegregation was still a dream away, these two could be proud of the work they accomplished, the foundation upon which the next steps were built. VERDICT Those who enjoy stirring historical fiction, as well as fans of The Personal Librarian, will find Benedict and Murray's latest collaboration compelling.--Pam O'Sullivan
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.