I have enjoyed Marie Benedict's books before; she writes about historical women whose influence may have been overlooked during their lives. This book was about J.P. Morgan's personal librarian, Belle da Costa Green, who helped him procure valuable manuscripts and artwork for his collection which is now the Morgan Library and Museum, a place I'd like to visit in Manhattan. Belle's influence wasn't necessarily overlooked - she was actually famous in the art and book world for her knowledge and prowess in procuring rare pieces for the Morgan collection. But Belle had a big secret. Though light-skinned, she was an African-American who posed as a white woman. Though her qualifications and passion for the position made her invaluable to Morgan, she would not have been welcome in the position if her true heritage was known. This book, told from her point of view, gives insight into how difficult it would be to keep such a secret while living an astonishing life as a public figure.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I have purchased it for our library, and I recommend it to everyone who will listen. This is a unique and fascinating book about the woman who was the librarian for J.P. Morgan at the turn of the 20th century. The historically based narrative is compelling on its own, and the authors bring the historical figures to life with deep character development, showing them as complex and human individuals. But the novel goes beyond just the story of an accomplished librarian. It's also about race and identity and the personal and professional implications of a black woman who takes on a white identity. I think that this novel is both solidly grounded in history and the social issues of its day, but it also speaks to a modern audience about race, class, culture, and gender - how those markers of our identities set boundaries but also how those boundaries can be broken. This theme emerges not only in the main character, Belle De Costa Greene, but in minor characters throughout the book as well. This is bound to be one of the best books coming out this summer!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early read! Belle da Costa Greene was the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. He hired her on the recommendation of his nephew, who knew Belle from Princeton, where he had been impressed with her knowledge of rare books and manuscripts. Hired by Morgan to be not only his librarian, but over time also his trusted curator and negotiator, Greene built the J.P. Morgan collection into a world-renowned institution. After his death, Greene worked for Morgan’s son, and in 1924 convinced him to open the collection to the public. She became the first Director of what is now known as the Morgan Library and Museum. What was not known at the time, in fact was a closely guarded secret, is that Belle was born Marion Greener, and she was African-American. Her skin was light enough for her to “pass” in white society, and her mother made the decision, when they moved to New York, to live in white society so that her children had the opportunity to better themselves. This caused a rift between Belle’s parents, as her father was one of the first black graduates of Harvard and a prominent civil rights advocate. Changing her name to Belle Da Costa Greene, and explaining her dark looks were by way of a Portuguese grandmother, she became a part of not only the book and art dealer world, but also the high society of the Morgans, Vanderbilts and Astors. This book tells her story, from her work at Princeton to her relationship with Morgan; from her skills at the auction house to her turbulent love life; and it attempts to understand how it must have felt for her to be constantly on her guard and to never be able to acknowledge her true self. She was worried about what the discovery would do to her and her family, but also worried that it would negate all of the work she did to create the Morgan Library. If you like historical fiction about real people, if you like other books by Marie Benedict or Fiona Davis or Paula McClain, if you like revelations of “hidden history”, then add this one to your list.

A remarkable story of a remarkable woman who lived a double life in order to pursue her passion. This masterfully told piece of historical fiction paints a vibrant portrait of the complex and intriguing history, relationships and accomplishments of a historical figure that few have heard about.
From a young age, Marion Greener, a light skinned black girl, was taught to respect and appreciate art and its history by her father, a black activist and the the first African American graduate of Harvard. Marion’s mother however, fearing for her children’s safety and opportunities amid racism, changes their names and declares the family as white on the census.
Marion, now living as Belle de Costa Greene, is hired by financier J. P. Morgan to be his personal librarian and curate manuscripts and art for his Pierpont Morgan library. Belle’s moxie, intelligence, keen eye and shrewd negotiating skills earn her the respect of her employer and colleagues. She became a successful, high powered career woman defying the odds at a time when her gender and her race seemed to be at odds with her ability to succeed. She struggled with the reality that her success hinged on the fact that she had to deny her black identity and uphold a false identity as a white woman.
This informative and intriguing story provided a glimpse into the affluent society of New York City during the gilded age and the ever present racism and sexism. While Belle achieved remarkable success despite societal constraints facing her gender and race, she did so at the expense of her true identity. An important, well researched and compelling story that is both timely and impactful.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Personal Librarian is an intriguing fictionalized story of Belle da Costa Greene who because the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan and his grand art collection. Although Belle is an African American woman, with her light skin and at the insistence of her mother, she passes as a white woman. As Belle grows in her position and in her social circle. A remarkable story.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

Whenever I see Marie Benedict’s name on a book, I know I will be reading about a fascinating woman from history and this latest book she has this time co-written with Victoria Christopher Murray is no exception. What’s even more exceptional is that I recently was at the place this book is set…just prior to the start of the pandemic and that just made this book all the more exciting for me. And of course, has me itching to go back!

I’m always drawn to books about books and libraries, so of course a book about J.P. Morgan’s personal library and the woman who helped set it up drew me in. As I already mentioned, in January of 2020, I was in the city and visited the Morgan Library and it is absolutely beautiful – the collection is stunning, but I honestly don’t remember seeing the name Belle De Costa Greene mentioned anywhere around the building. Of course, I wasn’t looking for it, though you can be sure the next time I go I will certainly be checking to see if she does get any credit for helping to put it together.

I was completely captivated by the life of Belle. She was both courageous and smart. She made choices in her life that were definitely not easy to make, but knew they were the best for her and her family. Because of the lightness of her skin, she was able to pass for a white woman, but it came with rather big consequences. This book explores that beautifully and in such an engaging way – Belle being able to go after her dreams, yet always worrying about being discovered. This is the type of book that once you start reading it, you become totally wrapped up in Belle’s life, wanting to know everything!

There are so many issues that are touched upon in this book that unfortunately are still applicable today. This truly is a compelling, complex story that begs to be discussed – it really is a great book for book clubs. I am glad I will be discussing it with one of mine!

I enjoy reading historical fiction, but I did not enjoy The Personal Librarian as much as I thought I would? It was fine, but I feel as though it were missing something.

Based on real people and events, this was an incredible historical fiction account of Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who spent her life passing as white and who worked as the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan in Gilded Age New York City. I was impressed with Belle's amazing accomplishments as a young woman working in a largely male-dominated industry at a time when most women's ambitions were to get married and have children. Belle had the extra burden of working to help support her family and keep their secrets, which also meant she wasn't free to love who or how she wanted. In particular I really enjoyed the author's notes at the end of the book where Marie and Victoria talk about how their partnership came to be and evolved. Highly recommended, especially for fans of books like The gilded years, Passing or The social graces. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy of this GMA June book club selection.

CW: abortion, anti-semitism, anti-racism

A compelling story about the real-life Belle da Costa Green, personal librarian to J.P. Morgan and the woman who shaped the famed Morgan Library. Belle was a fascinating, complex woman, and Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray bring her ambition and vulnerability to life on the page. Highly recommended for all historical fiction fans!

The Personal Librarian is a seamlessly related and meticulously crafted fictionalized account of the life of a woman who presented one identity to the world while hiding her true self because she "didn't want the color of her skin to be used as a weapon against her, an excuse to keep her relegated to the lowest jobs, the worst neighborhoods, with little possibility for a better life." It is a poignant, engrossing, timely and timeless story about the lengths to which one woman would go in order to rise above the constraints society placed on her and her family.

Belle's story is told via a first-person narrative, making it powerful and impactful. Authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray meticulously researched their subject but Belle was, of necessity and purposefully, intensely private. Based on the information available to them, Benedict and Murray have believably imagined and crafted conversations, as well as Belle's inner dialogue as she navigates the world. Belle was determined to succeed in a world designed to hold her back. Clever, calculating, witty, and beautiful, Belle was adept at using all of her assets to her advantage. She had to be. Because everything was at stake. And not just for her, but for her entire family because she supported them financially, enabling them to move to increasingly more comfortable apartments as Morgan generously increased her salary when she successfully procured the pieces he desired and elevated the library's stature.

Belle's father was not only the first Black graduate of Harvard University. He was also an activist, a contemporary of Frederick Douglass, Charles Sumner, and Booker T. Washington, known for his oration. But Belle's mother "saw the writing on the wall." When politicians began dismantling Reconstruction, her father lost his job as the first Black professor at the integrated University of South Carolina and the school was converted to a whites-only private men's college. She explains to Belle, "Your father and I lived through a brief, fleeting time in history when equality might have been possible." But the "lofty postwar ideal of integration" evaporated, the world comprised only of "black and white, two races separated, but certainly not equally." She recognized what Belle's father refused to: "Our only hope would be to live as white." And so they did.

But when Belle's mother reported to a 1905 census worker that the family was white, her father was infuriated to the breaking point and left. "Once she made the decision that they were going to live as white, she changed their names, she told them how they had to behave and, from the age of sixteen on, Belle was walking the footsteps her mother laid out for her," explains Murray. Indeed, throughout the book, Belle is "walking a tightrope" and struggling to reconcile her guilt with her ambition. She "felt that she was betraying her father but also helping black people." Belle secretly knew that her achievements were, in fact, the achievements of a a woman but, more particularly, a Black woman. Even if the world did not. Yet.

Belle was a woman compiling a vast and priceless collection of rare books, manuscripts, and art, an unparalleled accomplishment. She traveled abroad and skillfully negotiated to purchase artifacts she deemed necessary to elevate the library to unmatched esteem. But she did so in the employ of J. P. Morgan (1837-1913), a man of vast wealth and power who financed railroads and helped organize U.S. Steel, General Electric, and other major corporations. He was demanding and unforgiving, an anti-Semite who reminded Belle that she was <em>his</em> personal librarian, sometimes treating her like she was yet another of his possessions. Or worse, in Belle's mind, a slave. They disagreed and quarreled, but she strove to avoid angering or embarrassing him, aware that he would fire her instantly were her secret revealed, bringing ruin upon her entire family. Belle revered him and he was drawn to her -- based on their research, Benedict and Murray suggest a sexual tension between them. He came to consider her the most important person in his life, providing generously for her in his will.

Benedict and Murray effectively portray the evolution of their complex relationship, as well as Belle's interactions with Morgan's mistresses and children, especially his daughter Anne. Unmarried, Anne was rumored to be in a "Boston marriage," a euphemism for wealthy women who chose to eschew marriage to live independently and, perhaps, enjoy an intimate relationship. Their fractious encounters cause Belle concern, especially when Anne makes references to her "people," and questions her background, snidely telling Belle, "I though I heard something about your family having tropical roots." Belle shrewdly leverages the rumors about Anne to her advantage and relates the story that Belle's mother devised about Belle's grandmother hailing from Portugal to explain Belle's olive skin tone. It appeases Anne for a time, as it does others who inquires.

Belle never married, but she did have a decades-long relationship with Bernard Berenson, an expert on Renaissance-era art, which is explored in depth. It is both a heartbreaking and empowering aspect of Belle's life, as depicted by the authors. As a young woman, Belle was forced to accept that marriage and motherhood would not be in her future. She says, "I've always known that, because of my heritage, a traditional relationship would not be possible for me ... because a marriage means children, and that is something I cannot hazard. Without the fairer skin of my siblings, I could never risk bearing a child whose skin color might reveal my deception." But Belle wanted to experience love and romance, and in Benedict and Murray's telling of the story, although she had other lovers, she gets the opportunity to feel loved through Berenson, a man in an unconventional marriage with other secrets of his own. Like her relationship with Morgan, Belle's affair with Berenson changes her profoundly.

]How did Belle manage to pass for so many years, her secret never revealed? Murray believes that she would certainly never be able to pull it off today. But in the Gilded Age "to white people she looked white, but to black people, she looked black because of their features." As part of her deception, Belle was taught by her mother never to make eye contact with African Americans employed in service positions. There are times in the story, however, when Belle knows she has been seen by waiters and others, although they do not give her away. After one such encounter, Belle wonders, "Why does she serve while I am served? Why is it that the relative whiteness of my skin has given me this chance at privilege? It seems incomprehensible, but it is thus." Such details included in the narrative illustrate the complicated life Belle led -- always calculating, looking over her shoulder, and devising plausible explanations, constantly afraid that someone who knew the truth about her and her family would reveal it.

Of all of her accomplishments, the one that mattered most to Belle was making two men proud of her -- Morgan and her father -- for very different reasons. Her father's departure from the family impacted Belle deeply because of their close relationship and his tutelage about art and other subjects. Eventually, because of her notoriety, Belle dares not be seen with him in New York, so she is not able to personally show him her life's work. She knows his words are true: "Changing your name is easy. Changing your soul is impossible." She dreams of reinventing herself yet again and ponders coming forward with the truth in order to serve as an example to other Black people. But she never did.

The Personal Librarian is Belle's story, told in a compelling, engrossing, and richly moving manner that provides insight into and appreciation for Belle's triumphs, as well as sacrifices, as she strove to achieve her goals in the only way possible to her at the time. As he father tells her in a conversation imagined by Benedict and Murray, "One day, Belle, we will be able to reach back through the decades and claim you as one of our own. Your accomplishments will be part of history, they'll show doubtful white people what colored can do. Until that time, live your life proudly."

Benedict and Murray hope that readers, especially book club members, will reach out to each other and use the book to launch conversations about race in a way that feels safe.

Historical Fiction is not usually my area of interest but I couldn't resist the lure of The Personal Librarian. I enjoyed reading this novel and learning about the life of the woman who became the librarian for J.P. Morgan. The story of an intelligent woman, who hid her race, and bucked societies standards. Interesting and fascinating to read.

**I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review of this book.

I really enjoyed reading this fictionalized account of J.P. Morgan's personal librarian. I had never heard of her (honestly, I didn't know J.P. Morgan had a library ... adding that to my places to visit!) I love reading historical fiction like this that gives me some new knowledge and makes me think about how things were very different for different people throughout history.

Belle la Costa Greene was J.P. Morgan's personal librarian (and rare books and art collector) who went on to run The Morgan Library after his death, converting it into the public serving institution he always planned. Her story is fascinating, having to pass as white to live/work/move in the circles she did, how this issue separated her parents, etc. The authors did a great job at blending research with imagination; Belle may have burned her personal papers but all the people she wrote to and did business with over the years did not!

An interview with the authors will come up on the podcast but in the meantime I can recommend this book of historical fiction!

Thank you Berkley for the gifted copy.

Wow. What an amazing book - and based on the true story of Belle de Costa Greene, the personal librarian to JP Morgan. I was not aware of her story, or of Mr. Morgan's obsession with older literature and art. Reading about how Ms. Greene spent her days tracking down various pieces of history for his library was intriguing, especially since she traveled the world. What's even more interesting is that she is a woman - and on top of that, she is a black woman passing as white.

Ms. Greene lived in a time of segregation and unjust race laws, and had to carefully watch what she said, how she acted, and what she did every second of every day so nobody discovered her secret.

Highly recommend.

Almost every Bookheart is familiar with Belle de Costa Greene, personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. I have been intrigued with her story as a Black woman passing for white while tasked with curating the famous Pierpont Morgan Library. Oh, the secrets we keep to become powerful women!

Born Belle Marion Greener, daughter of the first Black graduate of Harvard and advocate for equality. Her light complexion from alleged Portuguese heritage allows her to keep a dangerous secret. She passes as white to protect her family in a racist world and gain employment as a personal librarian. Her wit, charm and negotiation skills are soon well-respected in New York as she builds a collection of rare manuscripts, books and artwork for the Pierpont Morgan Library.

'Tis is America. It did not matter that Belle's father was a successful intelligent Black man. She still had limited resources along with her siblings. It was Belle's mother's idea for a couple of her children to pass as white in order to get ahead in life.

To be so long (347 pages), it did not hold my attention during the second half. It seemed like less fiction, more biographical. And the rumored romantic entanglement was nipped in the bud quickly. Bookhearts, do you know the feeling of when you're reading a new story that is loosely based on truth then it becomes too historical-like? I don't know how else to describe but it somehow lost its appeal through the careful pacing.

Also Belle's career was portrayed as more of an art dealer/book negotiator than a librarian building an unparalleled collection simply for the sake of loving rare books. It started to become more of a competition than an appreciation of literature and art. Although, I understand the authors' intent and appreciate their collaboration even though it fell flat.

Happy Belated Pub Day, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray! The Personal Librarian is now available.

~LiteraryMarie

Belle da Costa Greene has her dream job. She is the personal librarian for J P Morgan. She is now rubbing elbows with the high society, such as the Carnegies. She is traveling to bid on rare books and treasures for Morgan's library. The only problem? She has a big secret that could cause her to lose everything. She is not white like everyone assumes. Her lighter skin allows her to hide the fact that she is actually a black woman.

Based on a true story. One of the best books I have read this year. I received a early copy from NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

I am sad to admit that before stumbling across The Personal Librarian on NetGalley (hey, btw, thanks NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC!) I had never heard of Belle de Costa Greene. I am sad to admit this because she is exactly the kind of person I would have been obsessed with as a young adult when I was dead set on working in archives and special collections. Not only was she an archivist (or librarian, whatever you want to call her; I personally think her job description was closer to archivist – also how much more badass does “personal archivist to JP Morgan” sound than “personal librarian?” A lot. Mostly because archivist is a more badass job title.), but she was an archivist during the Gilded Age. So, if the existence of Belle de Costa Greene alone doesn’t make you want to read this book, here’s some things that might: 1) the drama! Look, people look back on the early 20th century and see the puffy sleeves and long skirts and go “they were staid, moral people,” and the fact is that they were not. They were people just like we’re people, and they had affairs and secrets and vices. And those affairs, secrets, and vices make for some tasty reading. 2) The historical accuracy. Marie Benedict could probably teach a masterclass on writing historical fiction; she always does such a wonderful job. You can tell she does her research not only into the specific person whose story she’s telling, but also into the time period in which they live. 3) The chance to see through someone else’s eyes. Listen, I am very white. Like, I’m so white that I dip pizza in ranch dressing. I have no idea what it’s like to be a black person, let alone a black person who has to pass as white in order to succeed in a racist world. As Victoria Christopher Murray said in her author’s note, she doesn’t know what it’s like to need to pass either, but she grew up with stories from her grandmother about needing to pass in order to ensure her safety and security. She does a fantastic job of translating those stories into emotions for Belle to share with us in the book. I will never fully understand the Black experience, nor Belle’s own experience, but I do understand the emotions tied to that experience. Now, there were certainly other things I liked about this book, but those are the big ones. Keep your eyes out for a copy in stores or at your own library at the end of the month; this is a definite must-read for historical fiction lovers!

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is a must read for historical fiction fans!

Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, curated a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for the Pierpont Morgan Library in the early 1900s. In her twenties, Belle became one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her shrewd negotiating skills. However, her career would have been ruined if anyone discovered her secret - she was a light skinned black woman passing as white.

Belle was quite remarkable! I am grateful I learned about her through this book because sadly I’d never heard of her before. She was strong, independent, intelligent, and inspiring. This extraordinary woman not only had to forge a path for herself in a male dominated world, but she had to change her name and pass herself off as white to succeed in a racist society. I can’t imagine having to constantly hide your true identity to protect your family, career, and reputation. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, extensively researched, and truly enlightening book! The Authors’ Notes are also not to be missed!

I highly recommend The Personal Librarian, especially if you’re a fan of historical fiction!

This was a well-thought out, well-researched historical fiction book about Belle da Costa Greene, who started her life as Marion Greener. The two authors did extensive research and combined that with the imagined but very realistic inner life of Belle. Belle was an African American woman who passed as white by changing her name and claiming her grandmother was from Portugal (her mother's idea). If she had not done this, she would never have been able to be J.P. Morgan's personal librarian and curator in the early 1900s when equality seemed possible for a moment, but then segregation became commonplace.
She kept this secret her whole life, and only later in history were we able to recognize her for who she was. If you like historical fiction that follows a person throughout her career, studying the early 1900s, and reading about race and the awful history America has with it, then pick this up.

A great new book by Benedict and Murray - I enjoyed reading the history of Morgan's librarian, Belle. Can't wait for my next trip to NYC to visit the Morgan Library after reading this.