I love historical fiction featuring strong women ahead of their time. This book is filled with them! Anne Morgan sees a need in war torn France for all kinds of support in the many destroyed villages in the countryside. She proceeds to organize and bring that support. Jessie Carson joins the Morgan’s Cards with the intention of bringing books to the destroyed villages and establishing a library which will include a children’s section. (It was interesting to learn that French libraries did not have children’s libraries.) This book celebrates stories and their ability to bring relief in even the darkest times. It’s a winner!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I came across this book on accident. I had read this author before and thought I would give it a try. And I am so glad I did!

I love reading this type of book, a fictional tale of true historical people. This is so well done, the pain, the work, the sadness, the grief, it is all there!

I had never heard of the CARDs before, and it is fascinating. The work they did, the lives they touched, such strong people. Their characters come to life, and I want to learn more.

THANK YOU TO @NETGALLEY AND @ATRIABOOKS FOR THIS ARC. MISS MORGAN, YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF JP MORGAN HAS TARTED AN ORGANIZATION IN WAR TORN FRANCE, JUST 40 MILES FROM THE FRONT. SHE HAS RECRUITED A DOCTOR, NURSE, DRIVER, COOK AND NOW A LIBRARIAN ON LOAN FROM THE NYPL. THESE WOMEN BRING NOT ONLY COMFORT, SUPPLIES AND NOW BOOKS TO THE SHATTERED FAMILIES IN THIS "RED ZONE". JESSIE "KIT" CARSON IS NOT A PRIVILEGED WOMAN AND HAS WORKED FROM EVERYTHING SHE IS KNOWING BOOKS ARE A WAY OF LIFE. SHE STARTS A STORY TIME FOR THE LITTLE ONES TO TAKE THEIR MIND OF THEIR LIVES FOR A SHORT TIME. AS TIME AND PETROL ALLOWS, SHE TAKES A BOOKMOBILE TO THE SURROUNDING TOWNS. WHEN ABLE, SHE FINALLY BUILDS A LIBRARY WHERE CHILDREN CAN CHECK OUT THEIR OWN BOOKS FOR TWO WEEKS. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL BOOK OF THE AMAZING WOMEN THAT HELD WAR TORN COUNTRIES TOGETHER THROUGH LOVE, KINDNESS AND BOOKS. @MISSMORGANSBOOKBRIGADE #JANETSKESLIENCHARLES #APRIL2024

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is Janet Skeslien Charles's second book about French libraries. The first is The Paris Library, an excellent book, by the way.
This new book tells the story of Jessie "Kit" Carson and the French libraries she founded, initially as a member of Le Comité americain pour les régions dévastées (CARD).
Well documented and with an agile and dynamic narrative, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade transports the reader to a time and place devastated by World War I. It portrays the strength and resilience of the people and their devotion to their land, as well as the sacrifices of the Cards, many of them belonging to American high society who decided to move to France and cooperate in its reconstruction.
Thanks to the author, this group of strong and brave women will not be forgotten.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

If it’s possible to admire a book, this is the book I admire. It’s a dual timeline book, and the reader is seamlessly swept back and forth between 1918 France and 1987 New York. Each timeline centers around an independent woman saddled with insecurity that is overcome by a dogged determination to accomplish a deeply meaningful pursuit. In 1918 NY Public Library librarian Jessie leaves behind the comfort of an established and independent life to become a member of CARD, the Committee to Restore Devastated France (Comité Américain pour les Régions Dévastées de France). In 1987 NY Public Library librarian and aspiring writer Wendy resolves to uncover and preserve the historical acts of the brave female CARDs.

The main characters are intelligent, resourceful, and nuanced. The author's ability to breathe life into each time-period and setting is stellar. At times the reader feels as though they are walking alongside the characters, experiencing their anxieties, determinations, tribulations, and triumphs firsthand.

At its core, “Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade” is a book about determination, resiliency, and agency. It’s a well-researched and well written historical fiction book based on true events. It’s also a book that will leave lovers of historical fiction wanting more from this talented author.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on April 30, 2024.

This author, Janet Charles, is a favorite of mine. Combined with The Paris Library and this, she has told two intriguing and informative tales. Her description of Northern France in the Red Zone pulled me there. I almost felt the explosions, smelled the cordite, and coughed from mustard gas. Additionally, she thoroughly developed her main characters so I believed I knew them. I certainly admired them. She skillfully switched between WWI and her present day showing her struggles to write Book Brigade. Definitely a must read for historical no el fans.,

Anne Morgan, the daughter of J P Morgan, created an organization of women to help France recover from the ravages of World War I. The American Committee for Devasted France was active both during and after the war. This is the story of Jessie Carson, a librarian hired to help establish libraries, particularly children's libraries, in war torn France. She does ground breaking work, building from rubble, working near the front lines. This is the tale of a little known and quite interesting part of the history of WWI and of libraries.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I am drawn to books about historical fiction as well as anything related to bookstores and libraries so the title caught my eye. This is about WWI when the war is winding down in France and women come from America to help restore a local library as well as help the villagers learn to live again. I especially enjoyed the author's notes at the end about which characters were closely based on real women.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade
by Janet Skesian Chrales
April 30, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the “captivating, richly drawn” (Woman’s World) The Paris Library returns with a brilliant new novel based on the true story of Jessie Carson—the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France.
I love books about books and libriarians. I highly recommend this excellent historical fiction.
This beautifully written dual timeline tale focuses on the true story of librarian Jessie Carson, who went to WWI torn France to establish children's libraries ... and disappeared afterward. Unforgettable!
5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I loved this book!! I don't even know what else to say about it. It's such a unique story during a very turbulent time. I loved the characters within this story, and the time periods they are in. I truly thought this was so unique and hadn't read anything else like it before. This author is new to me and I had low expectations and she knocked it out of the park!

1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears.

1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time.

Based on the extraordinary little-known history of the women who received the Croix de Guerre medal for courage under fire, Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, the power of literature, and ultimately the courage it takes to make a change.

This is a dual timeline book with the main story centered around a group of women who volunteered to help the inhabitants of the Picardy region of France rebuild after three years of German occupation. When the Germans retreated in 1917, they destroyed houses,, crops, and farms, mined the fields, and slaughtered the livestock. CARD, the Committee to Restore Devastated France was founded by Ann Morgan, millionaire daughter of JP Morgan who recruited nurses, teachers, drivers, and librarian Jessie Carson to her cause. The women brought practical assistance to the inhabitants, mostly women, children, and elderly men who had suffered unimaginable loss, helping to rebuild schools and houses, providing supplies, tools, seeds, and even chickens to help them become self sufficient again. Jessie organizes story hours and mobile libraries and ultimately rebuild the library in the town hall. This is based on a true story and Jessie Carson who worked at the New York Public Library is credited for bringing modern library practices to France and training the first French female librarians.

In 1987, Wendy Peterson is working in the archives of the New York Public Library microfilming historical documents when she stumbles on the archives of CARD and becomes fascinated with this little known chapter of World War One history. An aspiring writer, she decides to write the story of the CARDs.

For me, the modern timeline seemed unnecessary and intrusive. Jessie's story could have stood on its own without the distraction of Wendy's angst and romance with fellow librarian Roberto. I also found the historical story very reminiscent of Lauren Willig's Band of Sisters, about a group of Vassar women on a similar mission at the same time.

Based upon a true story. This book is a dual timeline. Jessie Carter was working at the New York Public Library when she became a CARD. As a CARD she was sent to France as a librarian to help restore communities. WWII was still being fought in this area. Most of the women in the CARD weren’t compensated because they were wealthy. Jessie was compensated. She was constantly stressing to the two Directors how important books were to life. She realized having bookmobiles and story hours would be advantageous, she started these programs. This was some of the many things she did.

Wendy is a writer in more contemporary times, also an employee at the NYPL. She worked in a section that scanned documents to preserve. She came across a newsletter that talked about the CARDS. She became engrossed in them and decided to write a book about them. This process was fascinating as well. Definitely read the author’s notes and pictures are included.

Great book. I highly recommend. I was given a free advance reader copy, and I am submitting my review voluntarily.

What a fascinating book. I had no knowledge of this group of women who did such heroic work near the front lines of France during WWI. Fascinating piece of historical fiction, based more closely on real people than most historical fiction. The dual time line part set in 1987 helped provide context, but didn’t overpower the main WWI story line. Love the theme of books and stories bringing hope to those who are surviving in extreme circumstances.

I really enjoyed this read, learned a lot more about WWI, and with the author notes at the end even more. She put a lot of time into the research to make this read come alive! Sadly, part of France is still contaminated, and will remain so!
This is the story of bringing food and some joy, through books, to these survivors in Northern France. We are there as there is constant shelling, along with mine fields, and loss of life.
Heiress Anne Morgan is there along with Dr M. D, actually another Anne, and others brought to life by the author, along with Jessie "Kit" Carson, sponsored by Ms Morgan. I loved the character of Kit, and then the you have Marcella, and loved the gift she gives to Wendy at the end.
We are gifted some sweet romance, the CARDS, and bringing joy back into the lives of this devastated area, books!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Atria Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

I enjoyed this book, but have to be honest. I enjoyed the WWI part of the story better than the present day portion. Learning about the CARDs was very interesting and gave the book more meaning. My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

Thank you Atria books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade. This is a fascinating real life based historical novel centering on Jessie “Kit”Carson a New York public library librarian. She leaves her family and position behind to go to France during WWI. There she helps devastated villages rebuild and brings books to the villagers, especially the children. She helps develop children’s libraries in France . A new concept at that time.
The other character of this dual time line novel is a fictional librarian at the New York pubic library in 1987. Wendy Peterson is also an aspiring writer who discovers Jessie Carson’s existence while preserving documents and delves into researching and writing about Jessie.
This novel is a well paced thought provoking read.

I loved this book about this little known period in history and how it highlights the joy of the written word in tough time.s . It is exquisitely written

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. This was an interesting read about something I haven't previously heard about. The story of these brave women made me want to learn more as well as sharing their heroic roles during these conflicts with others.

A fantastic work of historical fiction about real librarians and their attempts to make books accessible to readers. The story of Miss Morgan's Book Brigade was masterfully written. The dual timeframe was highly entertaining. I was inspired by what I saw and was curious to find out more about Jessie Carson. This book vividly tells the inspirational tale of several extraordinarily brave women who, during World War I, assisted French communities in recovering from German occupation and devastation. An extra plot line was introduced by combining the historical chronology with the contemporary one of writer Wendy Peterson, a young librarian who discovers the information about the CARDS while doing some archiving. I heartily endorse this book with five of five strong stars.