Tag: Famous friendships past and present in real life and in fiction

Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes mysteries, was a proper Scottish Victorian who believed in the supernatural. Houdini, a cynical Hungarian-American, was an escape artist who exposed mediums as frauds. Yet they became friends and toured together. They split when Doyle’s wife claimed to have made contact with Houdini’s late mother and reported many erroneous things about her. By 1923, the pair openly feuded in letters to The New York Times. Houdini wrote, “There is nothing that Sir Arthur will believe that surprises me.” 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.

Doyle’s belief and Houdini’s skepticism drove a wedge in their friendship

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

In the beloved books by A. A. Milne, honey-loving Pooh and small timid Piglet are best friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. In their adventures, Piglet conquers his fears and Pooh is forever loyal. The trust between them is an enduring mark of friendship. 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.

Piglet and Winnie: One fearful and one rash, they find a happy compromise in friendship

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Caesar and Pompey, Roman statesmen and generals, were childhood friends who became rivals. Their power struggle led to civil war. Pompey was assassinated in 48 B.C.E. and Caesar, the Empire’s self-appointed dictator, was assassinated in 44 B.C.E. 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.

Caesar and Pompey: Roman generals and friends whose rivalry ended in two assassinations

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

These primary characters in the Archie Comics are best friends in an unbalanced relationship. Blonde, girl-next-door Betty is always there for Veronica. Raven-haired, wealthy Veronica can’t be counted on to reciprocate. They both have crushes on Archie but, reflecting the culture in which the comic strip arose, Veronica is likely to ditch her girlfriend for a boyfriend. 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.

Betty and Veronica: Companionship and competition in one comic strip

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

Angelou and Baldwin met in Paris in the 1954, when she was touring Europe with Porgy and Bess (she played Ruby). Angelou said, “He furnished me with my first limousine ride, set the stage for me to write “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and told me I was intelligent and very brave.” Both were committed to Black rights and culture; the friendship lasted throughout their lives. 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.

Maya Angelou and James Baldwin encouraged each other’s authorship and activism

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship

My novel The Sister Knot (arrives April 2024) is about two resilient women, orphaned in WW2, who defy fate to sustain a lifelong friendship. To mark its publication, I am inaugurating a series of “Famous Friends” posts, presenting friendships, past and present, in real life and in fiction, that inform, entertain, and surprise us about these emotionally charged relationships. Read more about the book in NOVELS.

Friendship: Not always easy, but always essential

Two resilient women, two separate journeys, one lasting friendship