Having recently finished “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, I am happy to have had the chance for the preview; thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group!

I am always so excited to request the newest Marie Benedict well researched and heart-felt book and discover the story of the next female in history to be chosen as her subject. As with all Ms. Benedict’s books I look forward to the author’s note and information imparted at the end of each story, and this time I enjoyed reading about Ms. Murray’s part in the process as well. To start this review at the end of the book is easier for me because I am not sure what to say about the story itself.

The idea of the book was full of so many possibilities. I found myself anticipating the pre “Personal Librarian” moments of Marion Greener and her D.C. family history; this part of the story had me interested, engaged and wishing for more details. Surprisingly, the excessive descriptions of curator moments as the library became a treasure due to the power and dedication of Belle da Costa Greene’s endless pursuit of acquisitions, left me feeling disappointed, bored and hurrying through the story to get to the reward; the author’s note(s) at the end.

“You have lived the life that was meant for you; it’s just that you had to do it as a white woman because of racism.”

It might sound odd to use the word thrilling to describe a work of historical fiction, but that’s what this story was for me. It is based on a real woman who was Black, but had to pass as white in order to survive and thrive as the personal librarian of J.P. Morgan. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire novel- what would happen to this woman and her family? Would her legacy live on?

As it happens, I was reading Stamped From The Beginning at the same time and I really appreciated the added context and depth to my reading of this novel. It also kept me more engaged when reading Stamped.

It's a historical fictional account of Belle Da Costa Greene's life, the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. What's unique about this librarian as compared to other librarians I've read about is the fact that her skin tone was so light that she passed for white, and purposely tried to, as a way of protecting herself and her family during a time in U.S. history when lynchings and other hate crimes against African Americans were ramping up.

If you liked The Vanishing Half, you might also like this book. For me, I liked it because you get to see Belle's transition from her status in society when she first starts working for Morgan to the risks she takes professionally and personally later on because she realized the riskier her actions were, the less likely people in high society questioned her race.

Of course I was interested in reading about J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, the woman who later became the first director of the Morgan Library. Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray stuck close to facts in their historical novel, The Personal Librarian. However, a friend of mine has a very good question, and I’ll end this post with that one.

Belle da Costa Greene was born Belle Marion Greener. Her mother was from a prominent African-American family in Washington, D.C. Her father, Richard Greener, was “the first colored graduate of Harvard”, a former professor at the University of South Carolina, and former dean at Howard University School of Law. But, Belle’s mother saw a rough time coming for Blacks, and, according to the book, she claimed the family was white in a U.S. census. Belle was forced to drop her middle name. The family changed their name to Greene. And, Belle and her brother added da Costa to their names, claiming the name came from a Portuguese grandmother.

Belle’s mother wanted her educated children to pass for white, and Belle did understand that her dreams depended on her passing with no indication she was Black. She was a librarian at Princeton University where J.P. Morgan’s nephew, Junius Morgan, recognized her interest in ancient and medieval manuscripts. He recommended her to his uncle when Morgan’s own library was built, and she became his personal librarian, eventually overseeing the purchase of magnificent manuscripts and books. Her goal was to created America’s foremost art and manuscript collection, equal to Europe’s finest. Belle’s Mama said a colored girl named Belle Marion Greener would never have been considered for a job with Mr. J.P. Morgan. Only a white girl called Belle da Costa Green would have that opportunity.

Belle da Costa Greene faced many obstacles in her lifetime, including the constant fear she would be outed as Black, which could destroy her career. She faced issues of sexism when dealing with many of the men involved in the world of collections, rare books, and manuscripts. Even her opportunities for love and romance were limited by her constant need to be on guard.

I will say, I loved all the details about the Morgan Library, and Greene’s career there was fascinating. Having been to the library and museum, it makes the story even more interesting. I wish I had this background when I was there.

Benedict and Murray do an excellent job in bringing Belle da Costa Greene to life with all of her challenges. They do shift around some events, but admit it in their notes. However, there is an interesting question that came from a friend who read the book. The story ends with Belle da Costa Greene burning her personal papers, and according to sources about her life, she did burn personal papers, although professional correspondence remained. Here is the question. If Belle da Costa Greene passed as white for her entire career, and burned her personal papers, how was her real life and family discovered? Who told?

Belle da Costa Greene, a young librarian at Princeton, impresses industry titan J.P. Morgan and becomes his private librarian, charged with creating and cataloging rare books, manuscripts, and artwork for the newly completed Pierpont Morgan Library.

Matching wits with the powerful and ruthless businessman, Belle bests rivals and art dealers to amass an enviable collection. Admired and respected by her male peers, she is also a flamboyant society figure.

No one but her family knows she is hiding her biggest secret in plain sight. When Belle’s mother realized the promise of equality for Blacks made during reconstruction was hollow, she decided the best future for the family lay in passing for white, even though Belle’s father was Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a vocal advocate for equal rights. Belle’s given name, in fact, is Marion Greener.

If anyone were to find out that Belle is not Portuguese, as she claims, she will lose her career—unheard of for a woman of her time and her ability to support her family. But to ensure her secret stays hidden, she must forgo some of her deepest desires.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, meticulously researched and exquisitely written, shares the life of an amazing and trailblazing woman. I loved the stories of how she slyly out-maneuvered her opponents, and her use of a trademark red scarf to mark her auction bids. But as intelligent, savvy, and flirtatious as she appeared, Belle’s secret weighed heavily, and the authors offer empathetic insight into the emotional toll of passing.

Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this account of a woman who deserves more recognition.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is the story of J. P. Morgan's personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene. Belle is working as a librarian at Princeton University when she is hired to be librarian, procurer and curator of the Pierpont Morgan Library. While knowledgeable, she is young and inexperienced, but J. P. Morgan saw Belle’s passion for rare books. She soon becomes a formidable opponent in the male-dominated art and book auction world, helping Morgan build his collection of antiquities. While Belle makes inroads as a female in the world of antiquities, she is weighed down by a secret she must keep. Belle claims her olive complexion is due to a Portugese grandmother, but the truth is Belle’s family is African-American and they are passing for white.

Born Belle Marion Greener in Washington, D.C., Belle was the daughter of Genevieve Ida Fleet, member of a well-known African-American family in Washington, and Richard Theodore Greener, the first black student and first black graduate of Harvard, later an attorney and dean of Howard University School of Law. Richard and Genevieve separated because Genevieve wanted their light-skinned children to pass for white while Richard, who was very active in civil rights, felt they were betraying their heritage and living a lie.

While the book was enough to pique my interest in Belle, I’m not sure it was the book I was hoping for. I wanted to learn much more about Belle’s travels and acquisitions for the library. I never really felt we were introduced properly to Belle and her thoughts and feelings concerning her professional life. The book seemed to be excessively centered on her worry about being able to prove herself professionally or to keep her secret safe. This could have been an insightful look into a fascinating woman, but it lacked substance. Instead, this is a highly fictionalized overview of Belle centering on her romance with a married man.

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This is the (mostly) true story of Belle da Costa Greene, born Belle Marion Greener, who served as the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan in the early 1900s. She was a Black woman who passed as white and changed her name in order to do so. She was an incredibly successful person working in profession run by white men and kept her life very private for fear of her race being found out.
I had never heard of her and I so enjoyed learning her story. Her father was a famous civil rights activist and I knew very little about what activism in the early 1900s looked like, so this was all very interesting and important history to me. I also loved the focus on arts and the old, rare books Belle helped the library acquire.
This book gripped me immediately and was fast-paced. It slowed down a lot towards the end and I found the last 20% or so more of a struggle to get through but I overall really enjoyed this book! Thank you @netgalley for the gifted digital copy.

I don't usually read historical fiction, but I have an exception for Belle da Costa Greene. Benedict & Murray do a tremendous job with historical accuracy, and provide such exquisite detail that you can't help but be transported back in time. It also has a lot to say about race and gender identity, and the struggles of denying one's true self to be able to fit into society.

Belle da Costa Greene. If you're going to invent a name for yourself, that's a sophisticated and sexy moniker, But pretense, that is a fickle beast. There's a lot of fabrication in this historical retelling of the life of the Morgan Library's first curator, a Black woman who reinvented herself as a white woman with Portuguese heritage to account for her "dusky" skin. Selected by JP Morgan himself to oversee his personal library, Miss Greene is a force - not your stereotypical cardigan-wearing matron, but an unparalleled intellect in designer gowns who could mix with the privileged and bargain with the best of them to procure historical treasures.
If I pull off my fact-checking librarian glasses, there's a lot to like in this Gilded Age quest to bring historical books and manuscripts to America. Romance, wealth, travel, intrigue. But if you know the details, you might scratch your head a bit and question if you are remembering things correctly. Taking liberties with a timeline does fuse the story, but it messes with the facts I studied as a student with postcards I purchased from the Frick Collection tacked to my bedroom wall. But, let's push that to the side and consider how amazing Miss Greene's life was and all she contributed to the art world. You'll be in awe of what one woman accomplished.

The subject matter is quite fascinating, as are the parallels with current events, I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about this book when I finished it, but probably would have given it 3 stars. Reading the Historical Note and Authors' Notes at the end had a big (favorable) impact on my opinion, though.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Pub. Date: June 29, 2021

I have come to connote Marie Benedict as a must-read in my world! I love her writing and research that goes into her historical fiction novels. This book was absolutely wonderful. I may even consider it for our next year's Book Club List. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the sneak peek. I will be recommending and buying this for our library.
5 star

** “My plan is to turn the Pierpont Morgan Library from a private library into a public institution so that thousands and thousands of people will see the beauty and significance of the early written word — the importance of reading and books as a great equalizer among humankind.” **

Authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray join forces to bring us “The Personal Librarian,” the story of J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle de Costa Greene, and the secret life she was forced to live.

A black woman who is able to pass as white, Belle quickly gained the respect of both Morgan and the art and literary world as she successfully built the collection of Morgan’s library into something the world envied. But even as she gained more and more success, wealth and popularity, she lived in fear the world would discover her secret — that she was actually a colored woman — and quickly snatch the rug out from under her.

“The Personal Librarian” is an intriguing and inspiring read, giving us a glimpse into the life of a woman who became the most influential person in her field despite her race and gender, as well as allowing us to travel into the world of J.P. Morgan and other affluential people of the time.

Featuring many historical characters and events, Benedict and Murray offer a fictionalized telling of the events that led to the eventual public institutionalizing of the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City and its female librarian.

Besides telling the story of Belle and Morgan’s library, “The Personal Librarian” also reminds us that books are valuable — they are an intimate conversation with the past and a great equalizer among people. It also reminds us of the importance of legacy.

This book does contain some adult situations surrounding Belle’s affair with art expert Bernard Berenson and results from that affair, as well as dealing with racial inequality, so I would not recommend it for young readers. Fans of historical fiction, women’s and racial history, and fictionalized stories of historical figures will enjoy this book.

Four stars out of five.

Berkley Publishing Group provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray was a great read. I included it in my monthly roundup of new releases for my Black Fiction Addiction blog.

The Personal Librarian was such an interesting and evocative story based n the real life of Belle da Costa Greene, personal librarian to banking tycoon J. P. Morgan. But Morgan is interested in more than just making money. He is fascinated with ancient works of art, especially manuscripts and collections for his personal library. He hires Belle for her knowledge, intelligence and poise. Her love of art and incunabula (I learned a new word! It means rare or ancient manuscript printed before the 16th century.) was fostered by her father and built through her experience at the Princeton University library.

Belle becomes a shrewd negotiator and travels the world on Morgan's behalf, but she is guarding a closely held secret that could shatter her reputation and her life - she is really a Black woman passing as white. Belle was an interesting and amazing woman whose acceptance in society was based largely on her ability to pass. Her light skinned mother carefully raised Belle and her sisters and brother to act, speak and dress as white. She knows all too well what's happening to Black's in the south and is determined that her children will not face such horrors.

Belle's inner turmoil over her identify and life makes her vulnerable and hard nosed both in love and in her business dealings. I enjoyed learning about this woman forced to live a double life to succeed in the world. The story was extremely well written and I loved the notes from both authors concerning their research and how they worked together to create a story that is still relevant today.

Oh my word, y’all! This novel has me skipping out on chores and my household duties!

I have long enjoyed historical fiction, especially when they open my eyes to those really unique women in history that are lesser known. It is also no secret that through 2020 I skipped out on historical fiction novels because they were just too heavy, often opting for light, escapist reads.

If you look at my Goodreads lists [linked in my bio] you will see the 2021 favorites are FULL of amazing historical fiction novels about strong women. Win-Win in my book.

Belle de Costa Greene is Pierpont Morgan’s personal librarian. She was a woman whose family was powerful in their own right, and yet here she is building additional power as a turn of the 20th century woman, in a world where she has secrets to keep.

@authormariebenedict has researched a woman who’s story needs to be told, who lived in a time when women’s stories were silenced time and time again. I was riding waves of emotions for Belle throughout the novel and she does an amazing job with describing the settings, the artwork, the cacophony of life with J.P. Morgan on the antiquities scene.

She weaves the story together through dates and locations at the beginning of each chapter, so you can follow Belle as she continues to acquire more priceless artifacts, along with her bold self. She is not without struggle and heartache though.

I enjoyed learning more about the Morgan Library, which I have had the pleasure of visiting with my husband to see a Tolkein exhibit (pre-covid and beautiful!) and I am intrigued to learn more about Belle de Costa Greene.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel, based on the story of Belle da Costa Greene. This intelligent young woman talked herself into a job as J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, caring and curating his collections of both books and art.
Always looming in the background is her well-kept secret: she is “passing.” The daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard, who is well known for his advocacy for equality, her skin is light enough that she can put her heritage down to a Portuguese ancestor. Belle’s mother has raised her children to pass as white because she feels that they will be more able to move about society freely, and they will be able to support themselves with good jobs. This caused a rift between her and Richard, who eventually moves on.
Belle is a fierce negotiator when it comes to purchasing books at a good price and becomes almost a member of the Morgan family.
It’s fun to learn about historical figures, especially ones that are new to the reader.

Once again, I’m completely, totally stunned by the depth of Marie Benedict’s portrayal of a relatively unknown woman in history. This time, she collaborates with Victoria Christopher Murray @victoriachristophermurray to tell Belle da Costa Greene’s story. The details of The Personal Library are so vivid and textured that it’s easy to get lost in the art and literary world of early 1900’s New York. I can’t recommend this one enough!


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Okay, I have to get this off my chest. How unfortunate that this book wasn’t released ten days ago, so that it could have coincided with the first official Juneteenth National Holiday? See, I actually finished reading it on Juneteenth and I thought it was extremely timely, while also being timeless. By that I mean that on the one hand, it is vitally important to tell the stories of amazing Black women from America’s history that have been too long overlooked; Juneteenth is just the time to do that. On the other hand, what a sad reflection on the US that the reasons Belle was forced to hide her heritage, are things that are still happening there, to this very day; Juneteenth is just the holiday to remind us about this, as well.

By the way, although I am very familiar with Benedict’s work, I didn’t know Murray’s name at all. When I looked her up, I realized why – she apparently writes contemporary fiction which looks mostly like they’re romance novels. Obviously, my favoring historical fiction is why she’s been flying beneath my radar. That wasn’t the only reason I looked her up. The other was that I was a bit concerned that Benedict – a white woman – was writing about a Black historical character. Again, the fact that Murray is a Black author put my mind at ease. This also made me realize that this was the perfect collaboration – Benedict brought her historical fiction side to the novel, and Murray brought her #OwnVoices to the work – along with her own romantic touches. (By the way, don’t forget to read their authors’ notes, because their description of this collaboration will bring tears to your eyes – for several reasons, not the least of which is because they were working on this together during the Covid-19 lock-downs as well as the BLM protests for George Floyd and others.)

To be totally honest, as I was reading this book, I decided that the best rating would be about 4/5 stars. That’s a very good rating from me, no matter what. The main reason for this was that I felt a little bit of a disconnect with Belle. Now, this is probably because the novel was written in the first person, which means that we only get one perspective. Mind you, Belle’s view of her world and how she copes with who she is, and her place in it, is the whole point of this book. The problem is that sometimes first person means that the narrator has to include certain bits of background information (such as significant historical events, the names of famous people, or what she wore for some occasion), which tend to distract us from the heart and mind of our protagonist. While these tidbits are mostly important to understanding what was going on around her during the different phases in her life, they can also feel a bit forced. In fact, there were a few times when I felt they were slightly out of place. Thankfully, on the whole, I think Benedict and Murray did a good job of keeping them to a minimum. Plus, the prose is carefully, yet lovingly constructed, and filled with a gentle atmosphere that is perfectly blended into what feels like one, cohesive voice, which is no easy task for any two writers.

However, what got me to raise my rating was actually the authors’ notes (see above), which for me, really brought home the true significance of Belle, and the lesson her story teaches us. That being, that if there was some magical way to remove the false constructs of race, gender, and social standing (both economic and familial), that there would be no limits to what any person can achieve. Unfortunately, reality tells us that we still see each other in how they differ from us, and the prejudices that come with that, force some of us to deny parts of our own selves in order to reach for our dreams. In addition, the relationship between Murray and Benedict also emphasizes the primary importance of listening to each other, and being open to new ideas. This also aids us in acknowledging the emotional reactions of people who have different life experiences than our own, which is vitally important in today’s world.

How wonderful that this collaboration came to be, and how lucky are we all that they were able to bring us this lovely, heartfelt novel, which expresses all this. That’s why I’m strongly recommending this novel, and giving it 4.75/5 stars, rounded up to five. Read this book, please!

"The Personal Librarian," co-written by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, is a fictionalized account of the life of Belle da Costa Greene, who helped J. P. Morgan amass a unique collection of rare manuscripts, paintings, and other works of artistic and historical significance. Greene was born Belle Marion Greener, and her ancestry was African-American, a fact that her mother, Genevieve, urged her to hide. Belle and her siblings passed as white to take advantage of the many opportunities that would otherwise have been denied them. Because her skin was "dusky," Belle falsely claimed that she had Portuguese forebears. Her father, Richard, a Harvard-educated civil rights activist, left his wife and children because he resented Marie's insistence that she and their children deny their heritage.

The book's premise is fascinating, especially since most people have never heard of Belle de Costa Greene. Alas, Belle does not earn our unalloyed sympathy. To her credit, she dutifully supports her mother and siblings financially. However, she also revels in her brilliance and ability to size up her competitors; enjoys showing off her glamorous wardrobe; flirts with powerful men to get her way; and has an affair with a man of questionable morals. Only later in life does Belle seek to redeem herself by engaging in philanthropic activities.

J. P. Morgan comes across as almost completely one-dimensional. He is a selfish man who is fiercely competitive and aggressive. His regard for Greene is largely dependent on her ability to procure for him the objects that he desires for his collection. In addition, there are passages that deal with the fight for women's suffrage, and Benedict and Murray stress that, in the early twentieth century, intolerant Americans regarded Jews and black people as second-class citizens. Unfortunately, instead of exploring these topics with a degree of subtlety, the authors drive them home in a heavy-handed manner. Its flaws notwithstanding, "The Personal Librarian" is an intriguing account of an extraordinarily talented and ambitious woman who helped transform Manhattan's Pierpont Morgan Library into a world-class cultural institution.

THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN is historical fiction at its finest. Stories of overlooked Black women in history need to be amplified, and my goodness--this novel does it so well. Anchored in facts, the story of Belle da Costa Greene is not to be missed. This woman had moxie.

Belle was a fierce Black woman passing as white in the upper echelons of society during The Gilded Age. As the personal librarian to the famous financer, JP Morgan, Belle curated manuscripts and art for the Pierpont Morgan Library. Although she was the most successful high-powered career woman of her day, the livelihood and safety of her family hinged on upholding her false identity as a white woman.

Belle’s story kept me engaged with elements of secrecy, sacrifice, and betrayal. I loved learning about an intrepid socialite in NYC with everything to lose. She boldly went head to head with the world’s wealthiest men in bidding wars for highly sought-after art, and won.

Written by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, a white and Black woman respectively, the story feels authentic in its themes of race, identity, and sacrifice. A truly heartfelt author’s note recounts their experience writing this novel during the civil unrest that surfaced in 2020 and the ways in which Belle’s struggles from a century ago remain prevalent. Additionally, Victoria Christopher Murray brings her personal family history to the novel; her own Grandmother passed as a white woman when necessary.

I can’t say enough about this book. If you enjoyed the Vanishing Half, or true stories of resolutely fearless women don’t miss The Personal Librarian!

RATING: 5/5 stars
AVAILABLE: June 29, 2021

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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