Emily & Walt, A Language of Love: Their differing styles caused them to spar with each other: “How can I love so many multitudes?” “Your stanzas rhyme.” But their shared passion for poetry brought Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson an enduring passion.
Mary & Stonewall, A Most Uncivil War: Before Abe, she was a captivating free spirit, an irresistible force. Before duty, he was a stone-hard, immovable object. The war apparently featured some battles and political developments, but most importantly it separated Mary Todd and Stonewall Jackson forever.
Willa & Bill, The Romance of the West: To William F. Cody, the American West was horses, heroes, and explosions. To Willa Cather, it was solitary moments of desperation. Is it any wonder they couldn't keep their hands off each other?
Betsy & Benji, Sewing the Body Electric: Her flag-sewing prowess inspired warriors to greatness. With wisdom and age, his magnetism was electric. Amid the founding of a country, Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin also founded an enduring love.
Charles & Alfred, A Love Evolving: By day they were scientific rivals, studying animals for proof of their world-shaking theories. And by night Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace had a passionate love that was threatened only by their intellectual doubt over the role of homosexuality in evolution.
Joseph & Mary, Principled Love: He would fight no more forever. She would accept no medical treatment. But together, Chief Joseph and Mary Baker Eddy had a forbidden passion that could not be denied.
Nellie & Jules, Around the World in Love: Nellie Bly was a globetrotting journalist. But when Jules Verne promised to take her around the world in 80 days, he was talking about an experience far more life-changing than travel.
Susan & the Boss, A Vote for Love: Susan B. Anthony believed that women should vote. William M. Tweed believed that everyone should vote the way his political machine told them to. Did their quarrels have room to accommodate their forbidden love?
Teddy & the Bully, Carry a Big Stick: President Theodore Roosevelt was always proclaiming things “bully.” What's not well known is the origin of that phrase: his forbidden childhood love for a forceful, domineering acquaintance.
Wea & Tonto, Native Passions: Separated from her tribe, conscripted to help the white man in his epic quest, only one person (no, not William Clark!) could understand how Sacajawea truly felt. But how to get him away from the Lone Ranger?
Crockett & Tubman, 19th Century Vice: By day, Davy Crockett fought drug-runners on the Kentucky frontier while wearing pastel-colored buckskins. By night, he and Harriet Tubman pursued their forbidden, cross-racial passion.
Bill & the Buffet, Bigger than Life: As President, William Taft faced weighty decisions. As his chef, the woman formerly known as Typhoid Mary hid a dark secret. When she gave him an all-you-can-eat buffet, his gratitude knew no bounds.