Category: Famous Friends

The friendship between King and Shabazz grew from tragedy — the assassinations of their husbands, civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. More than widows, the women were activists in their own right and spiritual sisters in the fight for social justice. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

King and Shabazz, friends in tragedy, sisters in social activism

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Kennedy’s father, Joseph, was a friend of Chicago mafia boss Sam Giancana, who helped secure union votes for JFK in the 1960 presidential election. Sinatra, the go-between, became friendly with JFK. The friendship ended when Attorney General RFK (JFK’s brother) ordered the FBI to go after the Mob. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

JFK and Sinatra were friends until RFK went after the Mob

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Anne in L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables longs for “a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul.” She finds one in Diana. Their opposite temperaments – adventurous and imaginative vs. down-to-earth and realistic – cause tension, yet they remain lifelong friends. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Anne Shirley and Diana Barry: Temperamental opposites and lifelong friends

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Keller met Twain (the pen name of Samuel Clemens) when he was in his late 50s and she was 14, the same age as his youngest daughter. Twain was impressed by Keller’s wit and intelligence and described her as “the eighth wonder of the world.” They loved to swap stories and exchanged many letters until Twain’s death 15 years later. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Helen Keller and Mark Twain enjoyed each other’s wit and exchanged many letters

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Kahlo, a 24-year-old Mexican painter living in the shadow of her muralist husband Diego Rivera, met O’Keefe while traveling to the U.S. in 1930. O’Keeffe, twenty years older, the wife of Alfred Stieglitz, and already an established artist, encouraged the younger woman. They admired each other’s work, especially the intense colors and floral motifs. They also bonded over the fact that both had famous, philandering husbands who caused them mental anguish. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

O’Keefe and Kahlo bonded over their vibrant art and philandering husbands

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

In the Curious George children’s books by H. A. and Margret Rey, a mischievous monkey is rescued from his misadventures by his friend and keeper The Man in the Yellow Hat. Though George’s capture would be controversial today, the affection between these characters is timeless. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Curious George & the Man in the Yellow Hat: A classic animal-human friendship

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Keckley, a former slave who bought her freedom and started a sewing business, was hired as the First Lady’s dressmaker. They became close friends and traveled together to raise money for the war. The friendship fell apart when Keckley wrote a memoir in 1868, revealing their private communications. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Lincoln and Keckley, the First Lady and her dressmaker, were friends until they had a falling out

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Prince and Jackson were famous for their feud, not their friendship, a rivalry the media encouraged. During the 1980s, both were major pop stars who crossed the boundaries of race and genre. They hated to be compared and refused to collaborate. Prince mocked Jackson for losing to him in a ping pong game and refused to be on Jackson’s charity album We Are the World. Jackson said “Prince was a meanie and one of the rudest people I ever met.” Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Prince and Jackson were rivals, not friends, who had nothing good to say about each other

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

In J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the friendship of “the golden trio” evolves as they mature. During their years together at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the students form an inseparable unit whose strengths complement one another as they battle the evil Lord Voldemort. Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Harry, Ronald, & Hermione: Hogwarts friends battle the evil Lord Voldemort

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

The Kentucky Fried Chicken tycoon pursued a “bromance” with the head of the FBI. A file that Hoover kept on Sanders includes this letter: “Dear Mr. Hoover, It’s not very often that people of our age can get together and celebrate, but I’ve found a good excuse. On September 16th, I’m going to be 80 years old. To help me enjoy the day, I’d like to have you and a group of old folk come down to Louisville as my guests so we can show can show those young people what celebratin’s all about.” Read The Sister Knot about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. A compelling novel about the power of sisterhood. Learn more about the book in NOVELS.

Sanders and Hoover: One fried chicken, the other fought crime

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship