Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is a historical novel set in two timelines. In 1918, American librarian Jessie Carson travels to France to build children's libraries in this war-torn country ... before she disappears. In 1987 Wendy Peterson, a New York Public Library librarian, becomes fascinated by Jessie Carson's story and determines to find out more about her life.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction, love dual storylines, and was interested in both the library and French settings.

This is a lovely book with characters to care about and a compelling storyline. (I found Jessie's story particularly interesting). The author does a wonderful job at the dual narrative, weaving the stories together by the end of the book.

I recommend Miss Morgan's Book Brigade for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in WWI or library settings.

Based on the life and contributions of “Kit” Carson, a young librarian who joined the CARDs, determined to help bring restoration through libraries and books to the devastated areas of France. The author aptly describes the destruction and heartache suffered by the rural farmers and townspeople who were bombed and overrun by the German forces and the courage of the young women organized by Anne Morgan to assist the local communities.
The author’s extensive research is evidenced throughout the story. Her characters based on the CARD women are courageous and dedicated to the families they serve.
The author chose to write in a dual timeline taking part of the story from the historical records and another plot line based on an aspiring author writing the CARD story. For me this dual plot lines were unnecessary and the contemporary story detracted from the novel.
The impact of the devastation and destruction was sometimes lost in repetition. As a former librarian, I appreciated the sentiments towards books and libraries but better editing would move the plot along without sacrificing the message.

Thank you for an advance copy of this book by an author I have previosly enjoyed. I love historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. It tells the story of Jessie Carson, the NYPL librarian who goes off to fight in her way in the Great War. It tells the story of a fiercely strong and brave woman during a very scary and uncertain time. I really enjoyed this story.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is a dual timeline historical fiction novel that takes place during WWI and 70 years later. Based on real life librarian Jessie Carson, I found this to be an extremely well-researched and engrossing story. It is always a wonderful reading experience to learn about and be inspired by real life people and little known time frames, events and organizations.

Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this fine ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The American Committee for Devastated France (CARD) was a fascinating group of women created by millionaire philanthropist Anne Morgan, JP Morgan's daughter, who worked tirelessly to help French communities rebuild after the devastation they faced in WWI. Jessie "Kit" Carson is one of these volunteers who has left her job at the New York Public Library (NYPL) to bring books to the region to inspire hope and imagination from the terrorized citizens. Her main goal is to reach out to the children and create mobile libraries to reach them. In 1987, Wendy is a struggling writer working at the NYPL who stumbles upon Kit's story and begins to research what happened to her when she disappeared in France all those years ago.

The subject matter of this historical fiction centered around the CARDs is fascinating and a story I knew very little about. These brave women are heroes in their own right and have amazing stories to share. That being said I really struggled to get into this book, I found it hard to connect to the characters as they are very flat and one dimensional. This is told from dual timelines following Kit in 1918 France and Wendy in 1987 New York. Wendy's POV offered very little to the overall story and I found myself scanning her sections. She should have been fired immediately for taking forbidden archives from the library. The dual love stories were clunky. I wish there was more energy spent on the brave women and kept the focus on them.

The "Miss Morgan" in the title refers to Anne Morgan, daughter of Pierpont Morgan and founder of the American Committee for Devastated France during World War I. She recruited more than 350 volunteers (called Cards, referring to the French name of the group, Comité American pour les Regions Devastée de France, or CARD) who lived in French villages, These extraordinary women, most of whom were women of privilege volunteering at their own expense, provided food, organized hospitals, transported victims to safety, and helped with other needs. The program lasted until 1924, but Anne Morgan never stopped trying to aid France.

Rather than concentrate on Morgan herself, the author chooses to follow the story of one volunteer, Jessie (Kit) Carson, a librarian who had previously worked at the New York Public Library. Armed with a trunk of books brought over from the States, Kit forms informal lending libraries and organizes children's story hours, along with all of the other work of the Cards. Her philosophy was that people need food and shelter, but they also need stories and beauty. Her work ended up revolutionizing libraries in France (more detail would have to include spoilers, sorry). The book also contains a dual timeline story, where a reference librarian at the NYPL in 1987 attempts to uncover more information about Jessie.

All of the characters in this book are real (an epilogue has pictures and updates on what happened to many of the women after the war), although some characters are composites. The storyline is based on the actual work of the Cards. I very much enjoy reading historical fiction that is based on real history, and this book provided a wonderful way to learn about an organization and women I didn't know existed. I put aside my "I've read enough World War books" pledge for this one and I'm glad I did. That said, there were some flaws that prevented me from becoming completely absorbed. A romance in the 1987 timeline was unnecessary and grabbed space that could have been devoted to the main story. And despite the detail throughout most of the book, there were still loose ends and unanswered questions at the end. Perhaps this was intentional, but it frustrated me.

Many thanks to Altria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. I loved it from the very first page!

Millionaire Anne Morgan and her partner Doctor Anne Murray Dike created the American Committee for Devastated France and worked just forty miles from the front in WWI. At Morgan’s invitation, Jessie Carson, a librarian, was invited to create a children’s library in an area destroyed by the German occupation. The women were known as CARDS and Jessie became the Library CARD, also known to her friends as Kit Carson. While her contract was for two years, Kit saw how much remained to be done and remained in France to continue her work. Along with her friends Breck (nurse Mary Breckenridge) and Kate Lewis, they traveled to nearby villages to distribute food and supplies as well as books for the children. In 1987, Wendy Peterson worked in the New York Public Library, photographing collections to preserve them. When she comes across documents mentioning the CARDS she is fascinated by Kit, who had worked in the NYPL before leaving or France. Information is scarce, but she is determined to tell her story.

Janet Skeslien Charles tells a story of courage, determination and love in a time of war. Kit arrives to the sound of shelling and views widespread destruction. There is also a feeling of distrust from the villagers. It takes time and hard work to build trust and Kit’s introduction of a story hour is sparsely attended at first. As she slowly rebuilds the library and eventually builds bookmobiles from old ambulances to reach the surrounding villages, she is soon welcomed into their homes. Marcelle was a young girl when Kit arrived. Her widowed mother had to provide support for the family with her help. Marcelle steals whatever time she can to work with the CARDS, learning to drive, leading some of the story hours and eventually becoming one of the CARDS. It is an elderly Marcelle, living in New York, who befriends Wendy and answers all of her questions so the story can be told. Charles fills her story with quotations from favorite stories. There is a true love of literature throughout this book and it is a tribute to the CARDS who helped to rebuild France after the war. As historical fiction, Charles story was absorbing and she ends with biographical information for her characters. This was beautifully written and is highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster or providing this book.

I’m not the biggest fan of war-related stories, so they really have to grab my attention to love or be interested in.
I didn’t find this read to flow quickly, just found it flat. I know this book will be for some, but unfortunately not for me.

Thank you to Atria Books & Netgalley for the chance to read and rate this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Janet Skeslien Charles for the chance to read the ARC of Miss Morgan's Book Brigade. It was a wonderfully written historical fiction book connecting two women during two different time periods and their love of books.

Jesse Carson is a woman librarian in 1918 who works in the New York Public Library. The Great War is happening in Europe and Jesse decides to travel to France to work in war torn France to work for the American Committee for Devastated France set up by the millionaire Anne Morgan. Jesse not only helped the people by delivering books to soldiers, giving food to the townspeople, replacing buildings, and nursing people back to health, but she was also the key person in helping to set up the first public libraries in France. Her love of literature was contagious and it truly helped the French people during the Great War to be given hope and freedom through their love of books.

Decades later in 1987, Wendy Peterson, also a librarian in New York who is going to school to become a writer, comes across information about Jesse Carson and the other women who went over to France to work with the American Committee for Devastated France. Wendy immediately feels a deep connection with Jesse and she begins to do intense research in order to write a thorough paper about Jesse and the other women she worked with in France.

The connection between the two women is perfectly written. I think anyone who loves historical fiction and books will absolutely love this book and will be engulfed in this story just as I was. #NetGalley #MissMorgansBookBrigade

I wanted to love this one, but it was a little slow moving for me. The storyline is fascinating and based on a true story!
I did love both Kit and Wendy's determination.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found the story fascinating and I loved learning about the CARDs. These women were so brave and inspiring. Prior to this book, I had never heard of the CARDs, but I’m so glad I now know about these incredible women.
I liked the dual timelines overall, but I disliked the romance in Wendy’s timeline. It felt very out of place.
This was an enjoyable read that will definitely stick with me. It was a good book, but it didn’t wow me as much as the authors previous novel, The Paris Library.

This is a super work of historical fiction. I learned from it (which I love!), I fell in love with the characters (particularly ‘Kit’ Carson) and it made me reflect on important episodes in my own life.
The story is about a group of volunteer women, mainly American, who travelled to France during the First World War as members of the American Committee for Devastated France (in French, Le Comité Américain pour les Régions Dévastées or CARD). And France was truly devastated. Whole villages had been reduced to rubble from the continuous fusillade of artillery from both the German and Allied sides. Crops had been destroyed in the fields and it was impossible to replant. Agricultural animals were killed. People had to live in the rubble of their homes, or anywhere they could, such as in a quarry or under a tarpaulin. They were starving and babies were sick and not growing due to malnutrition. There were no able-bodied men left in the communities because they had either been killed or were fighting on the front lines.
Miss Anne Morgan (the daughter of the financier and millionaire J.P. Morgan) saw the dire need and put her own enormous personal fortune to good use by founding the CARD organization. She and her partner, Anne Murray Dike, worked tirelessly to aid the French people.
This book is about the women who volunteered and helped France in the hellish conditions of war. They are written so well that we get to know them personally, and experience their joys and sorrows ourselves. The main character is the real life Jessie (‘Kit’) Carson, a children’s librarian. She founded libraries and traveling bookmobiles. She fell in love, suffered pain and loss, helped evacuate villagers when they were unsafe and was an essential CARD worker for six years. She is one of many amazingly brave women.
This is a dual timeline book, which usually I am not a fan of, but Wendy Peterson also is a present day, well-drawn character who works at the New York Public Library but dreams of being a writer. She has found some information about the CARDs and continues to research them to be the subject of her first book. So the two story lines fit together very well.
A final nugget of unknown information (at least to me) - did you know that there is still an area of North Eastern France called the ‘Red Zone’ that is so damaged and polluted from the unexploded ordnance of the First World War that no one is allowed to live there? Still! Over One hundred years later! It is estimated that it could take another three hundred years before this area is habitable again.
So if you enjoy true stories of strong, accomplished women, try this book. I think you will love it.
I thank the publishers, Atria/Simon and Schuster, for providing me with this free ebook for my honest opinion.

Astounding historical fiction of the group of international women headed by the millionaire Anne Morgan from New York and Dr. Anne Murray Dike from Scotland who came to northern France very close to the fighting area during WWI. They and their group were known as CARD who sought to bring relief to those striving to survive in this war-torn area. To this group was added Jessie Carson, a New York Public Librarian, who revolutionized libraries in France by creating children libraries and open shelving of the books. The dedication of this group who went to situations to help these communities are incredible stories of human dignity. The author’s notes are not to be missed; she is also the author of “The Paris Library.” Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an Advance Reader Copy: this is my honest review.

I haven't read to many WW1 books but do love a good book set in a library. I think it's beautifully written. The author delivered a well-researched story based on real characters who volunteer to help in devastated France. The quotes and themes was really enjoyable. It's overall an amazing read that I would recommend to anyone.

As a retired librarian and lover of historical fiction, this book was right up my alley. Even better were the notes at the end that profiled the actual individuals that inhabited this story.. BTW, if you use the search terms “library” and historical fiction” in Google or GoodReads you may be amazed at how many books inhabit this category,and as I skim the list, I was not too surprised to see how many I have already read.
This is in part a straightforward recounting of a determined group of women from America who volunteered to travel to France to support the French citizenry during World War I. Although generally women of means and social standing, there were a few who earned a salary and started their service as outsiders. By the end of the war, shared experiences and mutual respect had formed them into a cohesive unit.
The Miss Morgan of the title was Anna Morgan, the daughter of millionaire industrialist JP Morgan who used her influence and wealth to work wonders among the ravaged villages of northern France.
The focus of the story, however, was on outlier Jesse ‘Kit” Carson who left her position at The New York Public Library to establish something unknown in France — children’s libraries. With determination and ingenuity she reshaped the culture of social stratification in libraries, opening the profession to women, introducing the concept of open shelves and remaking the dusty old book depositories into welcoming centers for people of all ages and classes to learn and enjoy the world of books.
This account of the world at war is told in part as a mystery story solved by a young woman in 1987. The alternating chapters make an entertaining variation on straight history and gives the reader insights into the research process. It also makes these historic figures come alive in ways a dry text could not. Reading “the rest of the story” in the end notes is really a gift to the readers.
All in all, this was a fascinating story of bravery and determination made even better knowing it was true.

This historical novel of WWI was based primarily on Jessie "Kit" Carson and her time in France with the CARDs (Le Comitè Americain por les règion devastèes). The Cards was founded by Anne Morgan and was composed other debs from NYC who volunteered to help out the survivors with medical assistance, farming, and other support in an area that was nearly totally devastated by the Germans. The author described the fear, sadness, and loss of the villagers, several of whom remained in the shells of their homes in spite of being nearly destroyed, and the joy, camaraderie and friendships that developed by the women reaching out to them.
Jessie Carson, brought the concept of a children's library to France and weekly story hours for the children. She also oversaw the conversion of ambulances into bookmobiles after fighting was done, and brought books to the many villages in the Red Zone. As a final act in France, she established a library training program for girls and women in Paris which taught women cataloguing, book selection - a groundbreaking achievement into a field previously filled by men.
In addition to this story is another story based in 1987 about an aspiring writer who discovers Jessie Carson and researches her life, with the intent to develop a book about her time in the War overseas and her contribution to library science.
I could not put the book down. The characters were fascinating, the writing was engaging, and the story both tragic and uplifting. I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for offering this treasure to me and will gladly recommend it to my book clubs. I think it is a book that anyone who likes books should read.

The main story is based upon the true achievements of Jessie "Kit" Carson, a pioneer in library science. Kit left the NYPL to volunteer in France during World War I. The book covers the experiences of Kit and the other Cards (volunteers) as well as the experiences of the French people during the War. The historical facts were well researched, and if you're into historical fiction this is a book to consider.

A parallel timeline in 1987 involves an employee of the NYPL who a fledgling writer and becomes interested in the Cards, especially Kit. This portion of the story rounded out the book as a whole.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and the publisher.

DNF Just couldn't get into this book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, but this was a first that I did not like. I read about 40% of the book and felt nothing had happened and I wasn't sure anything was going to happen. I was hoping a historical fiction book about a librarian in France would be interesting. Character development was slow. I was just bored.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was your typical well written historical world war fiction but with a twist! Instead of following a heroine spy behind enemy lines it follows a much more subtle heroine, a librarian who is trying to bring joy to children in the red zone of France during World War I, one book at a time! I loved Jessie “Kit” Carson’s quest to gift joy through literature to these children who have seen nothing but war, sadness and destruction. I also loved the other half of the story which followed Wendy Peterson and her journey to track down Jesse’s story through any means possible and showcasing how difficult it is to get the stories of the average, non famous woman. The two women’s stories weave together flawlessly in this beautiful novel.