Enjoyable historical fiction! Learned much about JP Morgan's personal librarian and the important role she played in preserving history and making history! Go Belle!

I didn’t know what I was getting into with this book. I was expecting a totally different kind of story and didn’t realize it was a fictionalization of a real person’s life. The fact that it is kind of explains how there is almost no plot of speak of. Belle is a black woman who can pass for white so she ends up in a job surrounded by very wealthy people, while working for JP Morgan. I have realized that I find stories about art and book dealing almost always boring. I just don’t care. Books and art should be appreciated not dealt as commodities. So a lot was about that.. there was some hints of romance but it didn’t really go anywhere. The most interesting part was the animosity with the daughter of JP Morgan but then that resolves itself at the end in a nice happy little bow. Just not interesting

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is a captivating and inspiring tale that will resonate with readers who appreciate historical fiction, are fascinated by the intersection of art, literature, and social justice, and are eager to discover the untold stories of remarkable women who have shaped our cultural heritage.

The little known story of the curator of the personal library and art collection of JP Morgan. Belle must keep her secret hidden to succeed both personally and professionally.

"The Personal Librarian" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that offers readers a rich and immersive journey into the past. Benedict and Murray's collaboration brings Belle da Costa Greene's remarkable story to life with sensitivity, depth, and compassion, offering readers a timely reminder of the power of courage, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or simply looking for a captivating story that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page, this book is sure to enchant and inspire.

Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator at two of the country's premier law firms, who found her calling unearthing the hidden historical stories of women. Her mission is to excavate from the past the most important, complex and fascinating women of history and bring them into the light of present-day where we can finally perceive the breadth of their contributions as well as the insights they bring to modern day issues. She embarked on a new, thematically connected series of historical novels with THE OTHER EINSTEIN, which tells the tale of Albert Einstein's first wife, a physicist herself, and the role she might have played in his theories. The next novel in this series is the USA Today bestselling CARNEGIE'S MAID -- which released in January of 2018 -- and the book that followed is the New York Times bestseller and Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, the story of the brilliant inventor Hedy Lamarr, which published in January of 2019. In January of 2020, LADY CLEMENTINE, the story of the incredible Clementine Churchill, was released, and became an international bestseller. Her next novel, the Instant NYTimes and USAToday bestselling THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, was published on December 29, 2020, and her first co-written book, THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN, with the talented Victoria Christopher Murray, will be released on June 29, 2021. Writing as Heather Terrell, Marie also published the historical novels The Chrysalis, The Map Thief, and Brigid of Kildare.

This was fascinating, educational, and really a joy to read. I loved the history in it, the diversity, and all the research that was done to make it true to life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really had a difficult time getting through this one. In general, the subject would be of interest to me. I usually like historical fiction. I just couldn't connect to this one. I just wanted to get through it. I almost didn't finish but I kept going.

I read this book quite a while ago, and I read A LOT of books, but I do remember that the story stayed with me for quite some time. I don’t consider myself a big fan of historical fictions. It’s not my favorite genre, but I did really enjoy this story of Belle de Costa Green. Thanks for the opportunity to read the advanced reader copy!

I love when books weave in historical facts, and this is the case with The Personal Librarian. It shares the story of the personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, to J.P. Morgan. Period rich in details, this is perfect for book lovers and historical lovers alike.

Great historical fiction. Well written..ending surprised me. Would recommend for upper high school and definitely book clubs. Characters well develop through out story.

I enjoyed reading The Personal Librarian and learning about the first black librarian at JP Morgan's library. The authors did an excellent job weaving in facts with fiction. Having listened to the authors discuss the research that went into writing this novel, they worked well as a team to produce a gripping work. I have added this book to my personal collection.

(thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.)

a bold and engaging historical romp that book lovers will heartily devour.

3 stars, a good, solid read. I love historical fiction based on real-life characters, especially "hidden figures" such as our main character here, who was largely responsible for the fantastic collection of the J. P. Morgan Library in New York, and was a very interesting person. I can't say the story shines, but I would recommend this book to a very wide spectrum of readers. In addition, our library ultimately chose it for our Morning and Evening Book Club, and the book elicited great discussions at both.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm glad my sister and her women's group introduced me to this book. It was a great read and a wonderful insight into this woman's life. I don't usually like biographical fiction because I'm concerned that I will take some incident to heart that is not real at all. The authors of this book did me a great favor with their afterward explaining where they had played with the truth and where they had to speculate. I was grateful that Marie Benedict, who has such a wonderful reputation as an author, recognized her need for further insight into the life experience of a person of color. She sought the help of another wonderful writer in Victoria Christopher Murray. I appreciated each author's story of their writing relationship which they shared at the end. I'm afraid I leapt ahead of the Women's Spirit group because I found the book so hard to put down. I will have to read Passing by Nella Larsen which was first published in 1929. It will be an education to see the comparison.

This fictionalized account of Belle da Costa Greene, personal librarian to J.P. Morgan and inaugural director of the Pierpont Morgan Library, exposed the secret she kept hidden for nearly her entire life. Belle's ethnicity is Black, which, in addition to her being woman, doomed her to a life of servitude and destitution. When her mother made the decision to pass her children off as White, her marriage collapsed but her children had a fighting chance in the society of the Gilded Age. Industrious, studious and intelligent, Belle snatched the introduction to J.P. Morgan by his nephew and was given the chance to prove herself and create a world-renown library.

Top-notch account of Belle da Costa Greene, and the creation of the Piermont Morgan Library. This was an inspiring story of self-motivation and determination and pushing back against societal mores. I think the most cringe-worthy part of this book was Belle not being able to have children; not due to physical issues, but because of what color skin her children might have. The personal sacrifices she made for her career, and to leave the world with a breath taking collection of rare books in a beautiful facility is admirable and heart-breaking at the same time.

Definitely recommend this book to historical fiction buffs who enjoy reading about real-life characters and the history behind monuments and historical facilities.

I loved this historical fiction novel about Belle de Costa Greene. In a time when being a women and being a women of color were both detrimental to your success, Belle got hired by JP Morgan and turned his personal library into a library unrivaled around the world. I know that Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray took some liberties with the story because Belle erased so much of her personal paperwork but I like to think that the relationship that Belle shared with JP Morgan in this novel was equivalent to their real relationship. I love that the authors included references to major events that happened during Belle's life, like the Titanic, and the fact that she probably knew people affected by these events. Highly recommend this novel.

Belle da Costa Greene is a young, ambitious librarian who is hired to be the personal librarian for J.P. Morgan and curate his collection of rare manuscripts and artwork. Yet, she has a secret: she is a Black woman passing as white. Her career, her family's well-being, and her reputation all hinge upon the secret she carries. So begins the narrative and reality of the risks many Black people endured after the Civil War and throughout segregation and Jim Crow laws.
This was a fascinating read into a little-known librarian who made a huge impact on the museum and curation fields. This historical fiction novel details the life of da Costa Greene with speculation on the details of her day-to-day using research and historical documents. The authors had the challenge of piecing her life together within the scope of historical events and in relation to other historical figures. There are definitely moments of repetition of da Costa Greene's importance and influence (which sounds like arrogance because this is written in her 1st person POV), her bidding prowess, and style. Nevertheless, I enjoyed learning about the Black librarian who became the first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library.

Based on the true story of Belle da Costa Greene, aka Belle Marion Greener, personal librarian to JP Morgan in the early 20th century. Belle’s secret: She’s African American passing for White.

I applaud the writers for their collaboration, research and dedication to the (fictionalized) telling of this extraordinary woman. While the life and story of Belle was so intriguing, the early 20th century writing style was a bit dry for my taste. Benedict is a historical fiction author, while Murray is a contemporary fiction author, and I understand that the style reflects the time period of the book. I laughed aloud at Murray’s author note when she said she just wanted one of the characters to say, “Are you kidding me, dude?” Because same!

Thank you to NetGalley for a pre-pub copy of this book. Another rich work of historical fiction by Marie Benedict. This title brings us the story of Belle da Costa Greene, the personal librarian of J. P. Morgan who hid her true identity as an African American woman in order to secure and maintain her position in this role. Greene's father, Richard Greener, the first Black Harvard graduate, was quite outspoken in his push for equality, so Miss Greene distanced herself from her family and passed herself off as being of Portuguese descent, which worked for the most part, due to her light Black skin tone. Over time, she began to be known for her flamboyant attire (as well as her skill in acquisition and negotiation), which she used as a distraction to keep people from focusing on her physical features in order to keep her cover. Greene was a powerful, brilliant, tough individual who mesmerized Morgan and many other key figures of the day. Well-researched and well-written!