Benedict and Murray teamed up on this exquisite, imagined historical fiction about Belle da Costa Greene. To call Greene's life a journey of sacrifice and accomplishment at a time when and in a society where barriers were nearly impossible to break through is a huge understatement. Benedict and Murray transport readers to a gilded world of wealth and prestige along side the cruel realities of navigating gender, identity, and race. Librarians are well-acquainted with the incredibly curated collection of J.P. Morgan, so it is a joy to see any renewed interest in Greene's legacy--one that is long overdue. Benedict has a fantastic knack for picking the right women to write about at exactly the right time. And this beautifully drawn story is one will resonate with all readers for a long time to come

The Personal Librarian
By Marie Benedict and Victoria Christoper Murray

A Poignant and Enlightening Novel of the Woman Who Curated One of the Most Prominent Libraries in American History

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
1905. Belle De Costa Greene is hired away from Princeton University to become the director of J. P. Morgan’s personal library and art collection. Soon she is charming the New York elite with her style, personality and intelligence. She attends male-dominated auctions and travels the world to secure the rare books and manuscripts needed to complete the prominent collection.

But Belle has a secret that only her family knows. The revelation of this secret will ruin everything she has gained. Her career, her reputation, her relationships are all at stake. Belle is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first black man to graduate from Harvard University and a vocal civil rights advocate. He left the family after Belle’s mother, Genevieve Fleet, who is also from a wealthy African American family in Washington DC, insisted on raising and passing their children as white. Belle was a teenager when her father left the family.

REVIEW
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN is a intriguing and informative historical fiction novel. It’s an expertly delivered depiction of Belle De Costa Greene, a woman well-ahead of her time. She is intelligent, controlled, independent and strong. You will fall in love with both her, and her gut-wrenching story. The story is richly anchored in facts given that both J.P. Morgan and her father, Richard Greener, were well-known public figures.

Marie Benedict co-authored THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN with Victorian Christopher Murray. These two fabulous authors blended meticulous research, personal experience, and logical extrapolation to create this unforgettable story. The writing is poignant, smart and emotionally profound. You are going to want to clear your calendar for this delightful read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Berkley
Published June 29, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Belle da Costa Greene is many things, a librarian, a daughter, and a colored woman. With a father who is the first black man to graduate from Harvard, but a mother who has a different heritage that has given her and her siblings a lighter skin tone, they decided to start passing as white to allow for more opportunities that could come their way at this moment in time. Belle is hired to be JP Morgan's librarian for his current personal collection and to build it to be the premier collection.

I loved reading Belle's story and even more so when I did a quick google search and realized that she is a fully historically accurate human. To wonder throughout the book where fact and fiction met was so fun and I appreciated how her story was written so we saw both her intense work life and equally intense home life. The level of anxiety that Belle dealt with each day with her large secret was shared so well and I could only imagine when anyone lives with a secret that they feel they need to hide how much that affects your everyday life.

Being a book nerd who has always wondered about the world of libraries both personal and public, seeing Belle acquire art and books was the most fun. I have often wondered if I should have made a career change as book management has always seemed fun, but have decided that it is a fun hobby, but maybe not the career for me! I loved reading how Belle was entering a man's world and using her strengths to get what she wanted done and interesting to think that now it is known as a feminine career and I would love to read a book about the history of the profession of librarian.

Marie Benedict has quickly become one of my all time favorite historical fiction authors who focuses on women that are true in history, but maybe didn't make it to the history books and shines a light on their stories as a part of the story that we should all know.

Historical fiction at its best brings light to the political, societal, and personal positions of an era. THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN succeeds on all levels. Born a black woman at the end of the 1800s, the main character was able to pass as white in order to get the art and manuscript curating job she desired. Some tension exists throughout the novel with worry about her secret being exposed. The life she lived amidst the rich and powerful people of the time was fascinating. This is an excellent look at racism in the early 1900s and a brief glimpse of the women’s rights movement.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Books for the ARC to read and review.

Some of my readers need to know that this book is NOT about the Personal Librarian concept employed at some colleges. However, it is a fictional account of Belle da Costa Green, The Personal Librarian of millionaire J.P. Morgan. This new book, co-written by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, provides a behind the scenes look at her experiences serving as the first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City.

Serving as the library's first director, Belle da Costa Greene was in charge of developing and cataloging Morgan's collection of art and rare manuscripts. Doing so, provided her the opportunity to rub shoulders with the creme de la creme of New York as well as top art and rare book and manuscript scholars and collectors from aroud the world. During the early part of the 20th century, this was a plum position for a woman in a very patriarchal society. However, da Costa Greene also had some family secrets she was hiding. Her family background makes her accomplishments all the more significant.

The Personal Librarian is an enjoyable look at New York society in the early 20th century. The rich and powerful of the U.S.A and the numerous societal shifts that are beginning to take place in terms of women's suffrage, civil rights, and the sexual revolution are included. Being about a librarian who made significant contributions to the field and to history makes the story that much more interesting.

I received a complementary copy of The Personal Librarian from Berkley Publishing via NetGalley. I am not required to provide a positive review.

This hyper-relevant work of historical fiction, imagining the interior conflicts and triumphs of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan's personal librarian, shines in its attempt to honor this fascinating woman.
-"The world I inhabit may not know that I am colored, but there will be some ... who will discover my secret, and I wish that, in some small way, my achievements will give them hope."-
Greene, born Belle Marion Greener, daughter of the first Black graduate of Harvard, lived as a white woman in order to achieve her dream of curating the rare manuscripts, books, and artwork that would become the Pierpont Morgan Library. Co-authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray succeed in shedding light on Greene and her little-known story. While I am intrigued by their characterization of Greene, of J.P Morgan, and of her circle of ground-breaking female friends, the book falters in terms of fluidity, with dialog wobbling under the weight of info dumps. As a historical fiction novel, its presentation of history outshines its fiction. That said, the book's narrator and heroine held my interest throughout and have inspired me to read further about Belle da Costa Greene and what is now the Morgan Library & Museum.
[Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my opinion.]

Marie Benedict writes of women who are frequently overlooked in history yet made important contributions. Inviting Victoria Christopher Murray to co-author was a brilliant choice. Belle DaCosta Green was JP Morgan’s personal librarian. That alone was a coup. Her role in establishing the Morgan Library should not be undervalued. She was not only passing as white, she made choices that women of that era simply did not make. This was a multi layered read that kept me engaged right to the last page.

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

This collaborative effort by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray was so interesting. I'm shocked that I didn't know about Belle da Costa Green, who worked as personal librarian to J.P. Morgan and was instrumental in building and curating his collection, and this book brings her to life. As a Black woman who, along with most of her family, passed as white in order to find work, opportunity, and safety, Belle's legacy is particularly important, and her name should definitely have been one that came up in my library school education as her work was singular.

I'm so glad that I got to read a early copy of this book. I feel truly privileged to read the story of Belle da Costa Greene, who was the personal librarian for J.P. Morgan. Pierpont Morgan Library was her ship and she was the helmsman. She had a big secret, she was secretly a black woman. But due to her family's light colored skin, she and her family passed off as white.

In 1902, she felt she had no choice to progress in her life and career unless she continued this deception. But would she still be able to keep her secret in front of the New York high society scene? This was a trial in itself. This book was based on real events and the author's have embellished or added when needed. The writing and the language of the book was charming and literary.

I felt like the book wooed me to fall in love with it. I got to see the world through Belle's eyes which was spectacular. The things woman face because of race, gender and ethnicity was showcased in the book. It followed her victory and triumph as an art expert. I loved every aspect of the book and though the ending was not all that happy, it was still beautiful.

I recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers. You will not regret reading this one!

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. To be published June 29, 2021. Berkley (Penguin Random House). Includes “Historical note,” as well as Author notes from both authors.

Belle Marion Greener lived with her parents, sisters and brother in D.C. Though she and her brother had olive toned complexions, her mother and sisters looked white. Her mother was adamant that they all reinvent themselves and live as whites so the children could be successful and avoid the evils of racism. Belle’s father was the first Black student to graduate from Harvard. He had spent his life trying to achieve the equality for Blacks they had begun to enjoy during Reconstruction after the Civil War, before the Black Codes and Jim Crow laws of segregation became the law of the land. He was abhorrent at the proposal, angrily left his family, and Belle’s new life as Belle da Costa Greene (white woman with a Portuguese grandmother to explain her complexion and curly hair) was born.

In 1905 Belle was hired to become a personal librarian for J.P. Morgan, one of the richest men in the world, and was expected to fill his newly created Pierpont Morgan Library with priceless manuscripts and artwork. Both J.P. and Belle shared a love for the history of the written word, and she soon became a well-known name in the circles of the rich and famous because of the treasures she bought for the library. However her new life as J.P.’s personal librarian came at a great cost. Belle knew she would always have to guard her most closely held secret because, if anyone found out she wasn’t white, the wrath of J.P. would fall upon her and her family and she would be forever disgraced.

“The personal librarian” details Belle’s successes, angst, despair and struggles living a double life during a time when being Black was enough to get lynched. Her hard work and rise to fame despite her personal circumstances is a testament to her work ethic, as well as her love for, and immense knowledge of, the holdings of the Pierpont Morgan Library.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray tell the amazing story of Belle da Costa Greene, a woman of great intellect and skill who was the personal librarian of J.P. Morgan. Through her hard work and shrewd negotiating skills, she almost single-handedly turned the Pierpont Morgan Library into one of the world's premier libraries of rare books and manuscripts. If that weren't enough to make this novel one to read and savor, the even more amazing fact is that Greene was a Black woman passing as white in the New York high society of racist America.

The Personal Librarian is an account of Belle da Costa Greene's life and the lengths she had to go to in order to preserve her secret, the aspects of normal life that she had to deny herself in order for her to make her mark in the world. It was far from easy because treachery lurked behind some surprising corners. Imagine having to live your life never knowing whom you could trust. That was Belle's life.

Perhaps the two things I carried away after reading this book were the fact that Greene's mother and siblings seemed to expect her to pay their way through life. She provided them a roof over their heads, vacations, clothing, and more, while the other thing I learned concerned President Woodrow Wilson. Now, I have to admit that Wilson is one of those presidents whom I never bothered to learn much about, so when I found out how he worked against civil rights and equality, my opinion of him rapidly sank to the bottom of the abyss.

At the end of The Personal Librarian, the authors tell of writing the book as a team and of how they weaved together all the various pieces of the secretive Greene's life in order to write the book. If that's the sort of thing you usually avoid reading, you should make an exception in this case. The Personal Librarian is the story of an extraordinary woman and the lengths she had to go to in order to fulfill her destiny. No one should ever have to go through what Belle da Costa Greene and many others were forced to do.

This just wasn't the book I expected. I am a huge book lover, used to work in a book store, and have a graduate degree in history, so I was expecting to really enjoy a book about JP Morgan's personal librarian, who was responsible for developing the stunning Morgan Library in New York City (used to be the Pierpont Morgan Library). Belle de Costa Greene was also a Black woman passing as white while she was doing this amazing work.

I was hoping for details on the sorts of books acquired, how they were found, and how the library was curated. There was a bit of that, but the emphasis was more on Belle than on the books. The rare editions she secured seemed almost more like bragging rights than because of genuine love for the books themselves- at least that was what the book emphasized. Everything was for the glory of the library. Belle learned how to undercut prospective parts of the collection before they were auctioned, how to be a velvet glove covering a steel fist when it came to negotiations. These negotiations were more of the book than the research for how to choose prospective new pieces for the library. Art was a surprisingly large part of library acquisitions as well.

Belle was really a dealer in rare books and choice art more than she was a librarian- at least as I understand the word librarian. The book also spent quite a bit of time on her love life, which I didn't care about and which wasn't written in a way that made me want to root for any of the participants.

I skimmed to the end of this book because I was getting impatient with it. It was written by two authors and I've got to give Marie Benedict for co-authoring with a Black author who could speak to the difficulties of passing and who had a different, deeper understanding into Belle. However, the language felt a bit stilted to me and I felt distanced from the characters. I also didn't like the emphasis on books and art as prizes to be won instead of artifacts to treasure. I guess it just wasn't for me.

This book takes on the fictional account of the groundbreaking librarian for J.P. Morgan and his new library of art and rare manuscripts and books. Morgan did the unthinkable and hired a woman, Belle da Costa Greene.
Not only is the librarian a woman, which was a unique position for the early part of the 20th century, but she was also a black woman passing as white, born as Belle Marion Greener, whose father was an outspoken advocate for equality. The tension created by the necessity of hiding her true identity made for an engrossing book.

Belle always has to watch herself, could not make one mistake, and yet she does slip up every now and then. I felt myself cringe for the repercussions with these minor slips, as one cannot do anything but cheer for Belle and hope she will succeed despite all of the challenges she faces.

I was swept away with this book and read it quickly, not wanting to wait to see if she would be caught, or what may happen. It felt as if I did not breathe until the book was over. And with this book we can get a glimpse of what it felt like to be her, or other women from the era trying to pass as white
.
Unfortunately, there are a few slight issues I had with the book, a phrase that repeated a couple of times, talking to a future audience, these lines were unnecessary and jarring particularly as it was repeated. In general there were a few other repetitions inserted that also made the book weaker. Despite these flaws I did enjoy the book overall.

Although the book is historical fiction it is based on fact, Belle worked at Morgan’s librarian, and she passed as white. The author’s note at the end is a must read.

Belle Marion Greener is the daughter of the first Black graduate of Harvard & Civil Rights Activist, Richard Greener. After experiencing significant racial trauma, Belle's mother realizes that for her children to have better lives, they must pass as white. Fast forward to Belle's 20s, once she has assumed the identity of Belle da Costa Greene, a bright young lady with Portuguese heritage. Passing has never been easy for Belle, but it takes on a new level of difficulty once she is hired as J.P. Morgan's personal librarian. Belle uses her wit, intellect, and impeccable sense of fashion to infiltrate high society and serve as a role model for women worldwide, playing the most high-risk role of her life with her family's safety hanging in the balance.

Oh. My. Goodness. This book is incredible. I wish I could say it sucked me right in but it did take some time to really peak my interest. But the more I learned about Belle, the more I needed to know even more (so much so that I am already compiling a list of nonfiction sources about her). Her story is truly fascinating and I am flummoxed as to why I hadn't learned of her sooner. But my love for this book is due to more than just the topic -- it was impeccably researched, incredibly detailed, and so well-written. LOVED IT!

Having read Marie Benedict's previous novel "The Only Woman in the Room," I have been interested in her as a writer and follow her on social media. I also read her most recent, "The Mystery of Mrs. Christie," which was intriguing but may have had more of an impact on me had I been an avid reader of Agatha Christie.

That said, I was definitely interested to read about Belle de Costa Greene, who served as a personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. Her life story is the stuff of fiction and, of course, much of it has been fictionalized for this novel. Belle got rid of many personal letters so the authors had to piece some things together. It all adds up to a fascinating look at a bygone era, in terms of the life of an extremely wealthy man like J.P. Morgan. On the other hand, the racism that she experiences is still happening, sadly.

An in-depth description of life for those of mixed blood and a well researched story about Belle and how she managed it. Everyone should read this and think about how those years affect us today.

Well, I never considered myself as the biggest fan of historical fictions. It’s not my favorite genre. But when I get a chance to read about real life story of Belle de Costa Greene, I couldn’t say no to this journey! I was so intrigued, curious about that bold, creative, visionary, strong woman’s story who has created a brand new, outstanding, inspirational page in the history.

She’s known as chosen librarian of J. P. Morgan whose main purpose to curate Pierpont Morgan Library. She’s the black woman who is passing as white at the racist time of the history, working at the field which is dominated by male colleagues.

Defining her as a librarian is not fair declaration because she’s unique curating and collecting skills of rare books help her to achieve an outstanding job. She also efficient worker to conduct her daily administrative tasks alongside her heavy responsibilities and as she juggles several balls above her head, she also feels the pressure on her shoulders to keep her race as a big secret which is a quite burden to deal with at this era!

The book also reflects the sensitive triggering issues about Black American history and Black women movement: how they struggle to raise their voices, how they try so hard to adjust in the society as they fight against discrimination and restrictions to become a part of the community! Especially the black people’s rights to have college education and assimilation they’d endured were remarkable and thought provoking parts of the book.

Overall: this is educational, inspirational and also strongly provocative, well executed, extremely engrossing book I couldn’t put down!
I adored the layered, impressive characterization and unforgettable story of Belle de Costa Greene.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

What an fascinating story. Captured the era and the difficult choices faced for those who passed as white. Belle was a force of nature, the work she accomplished is amazing. Well written by two authors in collaboration and believably filled in the gaps in what is known about the real Belle.

I received a gifted galley of THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN is historical fiction centered on the very real story of Belle de Costa Greene. Belle is hired by J. P. Morgan as his librarian, helping to curate the impressive Pierpont Morgan Library which is still open to the public today. In her ro, she helped Morgan realize his dreams which involved collecting rare manuscripts and artwork from around the world.

Belle was fantastic at her job, using her status as a woman of power to her advantage in a field dominated by men. No one at the time knew that Belle was guarding a very critical secret about her past. Belle was a Black woman who, along with her immediate family, were passing as white.

I found Belle’s story to be fascinating, from how she traveled abroad and collected pieces for the library to just how she navigated her everyday life. Because her secret was so carefully guarded, the authors had limited materials to work with in recreating her history, but she did a fantastic job bringing Belle to life.

Living in Belle’s head, we read about how much she has to wake up each day and put on a different personna before she walks out the door into public. Close with her family, Belle’s mother in particular worries about all that goes wrong with the relative fame Belle is getting. We also see what they had to leave behind, separating from loved ones in order to ensure that their Black heritage isn’t discovered.

This was a really fantastic read and beautifully written.

Book Review

This is a historical fiction novel that imagines the life of Belle de Costa Green, the real-life female personal librarian of the famous financier JP Morgan. Belle was an remarkable figure in her time, especially when you consider that she was a Black woman passing as White in a deeply racist time in history. The two authors clearly also did their research on all the supporting characters

The librarian in me wanted more details about the organization and care of the books in JP Morgan’s library. The focus instead was on how Belle acquired the books at auction and the social events she attended (as well as her bohemian friends). It would appear that Belle was more of an rare book collector and curator than a librarian who catalogued and did other administrative tasks in her early days. This is not to diminish the astounding work performed by Belle- but if you are looking for a tale of how one runs a rare book library, there will be little detail to that end. This is a story about Belle’s accomplishment in the entirely male world of auctions and other methods of obtaining rare manuscripts and other printed material of bygone ages.

I was not particularly interested in the chapter headings which listed the month, day and year. That’s not important to me and I could determine the timeframe of the story without it. It also caused me to go back and look at the previous chapter to remind myself what month is was prior and it was a distraction.

The author seamlessly included moments in Black American history, such as how Black woman were left out of the suffrage movement and how difficult it was for Black people to assimilate into universities/colleges. Belle’s remarkable parents fought for civil rights, and Belle’s father was even the first Black graduate of Harvard College.

The book was coauthored by two women and they seem to have worked very well together on this novel.

I was given an arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.