The Personal Librarian: A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)

Marie Benedict · Victoria Christopher Murray

Jun 2021 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

The Instant New York Times Bestseller! A Good Morning America* Book Club Pick!

Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR! Named a Notable Book of the Year by the Washington Post!

“Historical fiction at its best!”*
 
A remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling authors Marie Benedict and 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 in New York City society 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 create 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 she must go to—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

Ratings and reviews

The woman at the center of this historical novel is nothing short of fascinating! Belle da Costa Greene, as the title suggests, served as personal librarian to famous American financier J. P. Morgan — whose business acumen and canny investments helped build the fortunes of many of the multi-millionaires created during the industrialization of the Guilded Age. It was Belle whose guidance, knowledge, and inate intelligence made Morgan’s collection world reknowned, a collection now on display at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City. After Belle moved from a pedestrian position at the Princeton University library to Morgan’s employ (through a connection with Morgan’s nephew), Belle has to adjust to moving in circules of wealth and power. Morgan collected historical books and art work and increasingly relied on Belle to do the research needed to prove an object’s value, as well as negotiate with sellers and compete against other buyers. Her skill and innovative approaches soon earn her both a solid reputation and widespread admiration from the rich and famous. The story of a young woman’s rise into these circles of influence would make this historical fiction good enough, on its own. But what adds immeasurably is the secret Belle is keeping. One she keeps for decades. She is Afro-American, passing as white. And given the racist society of the time, she no doubt would have been unable to acheive such success if her secret was known. The glimpse into the difficulty of living a split life like Belle’s where, on the one hand, she travels the world at the highest levels of society and has the ear of one of the most powerful men in the United States, and, on the other, is the primary support for her Black family of origin — is dramatic and sobering. To see how valuable Belle’s many gifts are and to understand that racial identity alone determines her ability to use those gifts becomes a stark lesson in the crushing poison of racism in America. The book came out of a collaboration between two authors, one white (Marie Benedict), one Black (Victoria Christopher Murray). And their Afterwords reveal how impactful their work together was for each in understanding how race plays out in modern times. This too added an interesting dimension to the book. There are a few places where dialog feels a bit unnatural and clunky- chiefly when characters in the book are trying to summarize some of the societal activities underway to advance equality fo all. These can feel a bit stilted at times. But THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN is one that is NOT to be missed.

I laughed, I cried, I loved this book. A beautiful historical fiction novel with a strong female at the helm. Racism, romance, female empowerment, loss, betrayal. This book had everything, top 5 book I've read this year. READ THIS BOOK!!!

Absolutely captivating story about an incredible woman. Though I feel that her immodest self-congratulation was a bit too much.

About the author

Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator. A graduate of Boston College and the Boston University School of Law, she is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, Carnegie's Maid, The Other Einstein, and Lady Clementine. All have been translated into multiple languages. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family. 

Victoria Christopher Murray is an acclaimed author with more than one million books in print. She has written more than twenty novels, including Stand Your Ground, an NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Fiction and a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.