The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
Pages: 352
Published by Berkley Books
Publication Date December 29, 2021
Goodreads
The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan's personal librarian—who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray.
In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps build a world-class collection.
But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle's complexion isn't dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American.
The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths to which she must go—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.
Mini-Review
Marie Benedict has slowly become a go-to author for historical fiction. She chooses to write of not-so-well-known historical figures and breathes life into their stories. Belle da Costa Greene led such an interesting life and looked forward to going to bed or sneaking in a few pages before work to learn more of her incredible story. As with all of Marie Benedict’s novels, her writing is so fluid and lovely. With her detailed descriptions of J.P. Morgan’s library and her visits to Europe, I felt as if I was there and was drawn into the surroundings.
I did think the last 30 pages could have been condensed and almost felt as if the author was unsure to continue the story. However, as a whole, it was a wonderful book and I enjoyed learning about this hidden figure in history.
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I like historical fiction based on real people. This sounds wonderful.