Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC of this title. I enjoyed reading this title. Would recommend for my library.

I was happy to receive this book from Net Galley, I had already read a book called the Librarian, it was about the same women, Bella Da Costa Greene, this is a great story It's amazing what all this woman did thru her live, the struggles she went through while, Passing, passing for white that is, she gave up so much of her old live just to work in the library and do all the research, she had many heartbreaks, although she did end up working for a very big company, her live had lots of struggles. I love this Author, I love the way Alexandra Lapierre can pull you into the book and hold you there, this is a great read for groups or just by yourself at night while relaxing.

One of the most exceptional things I’ve read all year.

I’ve long been fascinated by Belle Greene and with her relationship to the Morgan Family and the Morgan Library, so I was absolutely delighted to discover this vibrant, thorough account of Belle’s life and work.

It’s hard to do an incredible human like Belle justice in written format, or any format that isn’t being lucky enough to encounter her in the flesh, but Alexandra LaPierre has given us such a rich, detailed account that Green and the rest of the cast come to life as you read.

LaPierre does a wonderful job of balancing the perils of Belle’s “passing” as white with her scholarly work, and how the two things intertwined in her private life and her professional life.

Equally vibrant are the other figures who are part of her story. The Morgans, of course, Belle’s own family, and the many other scholars, rogues, and collectors (some being all three at once!) who inhabit her orbit.

I loved LaPierre’s book on Artemisia Gentileschi, but this one is even better. A 2022 favorite, without a doubt.

I thought that this would be a strong followup to the Personal Librarian, it fell short of that for me but I look forward to more from this author

Belle Greene was a remarkable woman, who lived a remarkable life, and this thoroughly researched fictionalised biography tells her story which is a truly astonishing one. Belle’s family decided, after the father had abandoned them, to spend the rest of their lives passing as a white, a dangerous thing to do in a deeply racist society. Belle herself became the first librarian of the Morgan Library in New York, a close confidante of J P Morgan himself and moved in the highest social circles. She became an expert in the field and was incredibly knowledgeable about books and manuscripts. All whilst hiding her origins. I found the story of her life absolutely fascinating, but the narrative style irritated at times. It’s very basic, quite stilted, with wooden dialogue and far too romanticised. Nevertheless I was so taken up with the story that I could (almost) forgive the writing for the pleasure of discovering all about Belle Greene.

“𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆,” 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆. “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕.”

Pretending to be something else, as a survival instinct, is complicated enough but add to that moving among the elite, JP Morgan’s family, where one false move could ruin you, make you a criminal even and the reader gets a taste of life in Belle’s Greene’s shoes. Born the daughter of the brilliant Rick Greener, the first Black student to graduate from Harvard and first and only Black man approved to practice law , by the Supreme Court in South Carolina, it is only ruin that he left for Belle’s mother Genevieve and their brood. Despite his ‘extraordinary rise’ and his passion for educating his people, it is the unforgiveable act of abandonment that changes the fate of his family and puts Belle on the path to becoming the director of JP Morgan’s library.

Genevieve has decided she and her children will pass themselves off as white, but her own mother Hermione knows all too well what a dangerous game it is. For it requires lying and hiding for her entire life, it’s not enough to change how one looks, it is to change the way you behave, speak and even think. It is shaking off the family, herself included, it is madness! There could be no connection that could betray their true origins, Hermione warns her daughter. Genevieve’s thought is, so be it, there is no future for her children, ‘nothing but misery for Blacks’, and she will attain dignity for them all. It is the future of her children she is moving towards, even if they have to lose their identity. It is her light skin that affords her a different future, and her children too. The law is wrong, and sometimes breaking it is the only choice.

So we watch the story unfold around the family dinner table in the year of 1898, at their apartment in Central Park. They must first change their family name, but too they must never have children, as they could have black children despite marrying into white families. Such a mistake would easily give them away. The pact is made to keep their secret safe. They are now the aristocratic family of van Vliet da Costa Greene. There are many color barriers crossed and laws broken, but from the start the laws are unfair. With Belle’s summer cataloguing course at Amherst, she has become a master in bibliography and soars right into good fortune. She knows the opportunities she has are a miracle, even if she works tirelessly to move up, even if it cost them all their past. Being a white woman is a ticket to open doors, especially higher education. Working with scholar and benefactor, Junius Morgan, has her holding treasures in her hand, editions that she would otherwise never be allowed to look upon, let alone handle. Then there is her attraction, love for Junius, but it is his Uncle, JP Morgan, and the chance to direct his library that will be Belle’s greatest challenge. She will earn enough to care for her family, more than she dreamed of, she will finally be free. But is she truly free while under JP Morgan’s thumb?

The most incredible thing about this novel is that it is based on a true story. The man himself was authoritative, the sort people cower from, fearing his power and position. She will find her backbone, ‘face the storm’. Her whole life, however, is one filled with the struggle of submitting and fighting those in power. How long did Belle keep the secrets beneath her light skin hidden? How did she find the strength and use her sharp intelligence to move in such powerful, elite circles at the threat of severe consequences. Passing oneself off as white could be fatal in such times, it’s like living on the edge of a sword. Imagine the fear. What did it cost, to have to hide in plain sight, just for the right to ascend from where others determine your life should be? How did she juggle her fears, the threat that is always present when one reinvents themselves all the while traveling overseas and bidding on more treasures for Morgan’s collection? She truly experienced how race and power shaped the world and the fate all people.

This is one hell of a story and a rich retelling of history. When I really sat back and thought about the time period, the risks, the self-control, ambition and wild bravery of Belle Greene, I was stunned. What a woman! This is someone who chose to determine their own fate, despite the boundaries set in place by those who held all the power. It also cannot be lost that for any woman of the period, it’s an incredible journey and success.

Yes, read it.

Publication Date June 14, 2022

Europa Editions

The Morgan Library is one of my favorite places is New York and this book by Alexandra Lapierre has opened a new chapter in my discovery of this location. The trauma of hiding her truth all while being a success and holding such power is an amazing story and one that is so unknown. This is a book that should be studied and a story that should be taught in every classroom in the nation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Lapierre tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene - infamous personal librarian to J.P Morgan. Belle is intense, witty, determined...and hiding a family secret. She looks white, but is actually African American. Her family makes the choice to "pass" and live as whites in a racially separated America.

The story of Belle de Costa Greene is fascinating but this novelization of her life was a bit too extensive for my personal taste. The thorough research by the author is clear, but so much detail is included that parts of the book dragged for me and I found myself wishing it had been cut a bit shorter as not all of the included details did much to serve the overall narrative. I think I would have preferred to read a biography instead.

BELLE GREENE by Alexandra Lapierre

This solidly written, meticulously researched and pseudo-biographical book will transport you to late 1800s through early 1900s New York where you will follow the inspiring life of Belle da Costa Greene.

It starts when Belle, her mother and siblings vow to never reveal their true African American heritage to anyone. Since they were light skinned, they were able to “pass” as white in their new community. Their promise to one another leads all of them to make many difficult decisions throughout their lives.

Then Belle meets the magnate JP Morgan and lands her dream job - to be the personal librarian and curator for his library. With her skills, intelligence and wit, she becomes the highest paid woman in the US, who is respected and renowned in her field. Belle defied the odds and her circumstances in a society that was (and still is) deeply prejudiced and racist.

There is SO much history within these pages! I was compelled to look up the locations, artwork and other bits mentioned in the story. Belle’s remarkable life is one that needs to be taught in all schools.


**ARC courtesy of @NetGalley & Europa Editions

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

A captivating story of a remarkable woman. This was enlightening and fascinating.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Belle Greene reads like an extensive biography of an extraordinary woman who loved books as a child and worked her way up to a senior position at magnate J.P. Morgan's personal library, eventually earning more money than any other woman in the United States. Belle's estranged father was a black activist, but his wife and children bore no visible signs of their African American heritage. Since the kind of job she dreamed of wouldn't have been possible for a black woman in early 1900s America, Belle and her siblings agreed to live their lives in the white community, vowing never to have children who might reveal their racial background and always fearing how their father might react.

The author has obviously done extensive research to portray Belle Greene as the remarkably ambitious and intelligent woman she was, and hers is quite a story. It's a long book (480 pages)--too long, I felt. Although the details were often fascinating, I would have preferred fewer minutiae about each auction where Belle represented the Morgan Library, less detail about clothing, building design, and European travel, more focus on what made Belle great, and less melodrama. However, the book is definitely an admirable accomplishment by the French author and her able translator.

My thanks to NetGalley and Europa Editions for affording me the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I thought this book was perfectly okay. I'm not quite sure what just didn't hit me exactly right? I think it was too long. I just felt like there was too much description. You can tell the author did thorough research which is so great! I don't think I would have even guessed this book was translated! I do appreciate this book for introducing me to a woman in history I did not know about before!

“The love of books is contagious, you know.”

A beautifully written novel that did a startling job of being entertaining whilst incredibly accurate. A dazzling ride through the late 1800’s-earl 1900’s NYC, and an absolute must-read for all book lovers. 

Belle and the characters around her are portrayed in all of their multidimensional light. I found myself in awe of her as “one of the most powerful women in the world” for whom “there was no end in sight to [her] eternal quest to preserve beauty and transmit knowledge” whilst also understanding the inherent challenges of passing.

“Are you really ready to give up your beloved books, in the name of ‘truth’? To lose your incunabula, your codices, in order not to lie anymore? Your seventy-six Coptic manuscripts that are being restored at the Vatican Library as we speak?”

Most interesting was the discussion between Belle and her father who was vehemently opposed to passing.

“Both of them, each in his or her own fashion, have come to embody the struggles of African intellectuals to have equal access to knowledge, justice, and freedom.”

“In a word,” she said tartly, “you belong to the category of men who change the world, and I to the category of those who succeed”.

“Belle was free to let herself be carried away by her own desires. By rivalry. By the game. And by the hunger to win. She knew it. And she was afraid. With the Morgan bank as a guarantor, everything was possible. She could buy exactly what she wanted.”

A word on the translation; even though this was an English translation from the original french copy, I couldn’t help but gasp at the dazzling yet cogent language of the book and cannot wait to read more of the author's work.

*** I received an early complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I became fascinated by the life led by Belle Greene while reading The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. Ms. Greene was a brilliant, fascinating woman. Alexandra Lapierre's book answers many questions that I had, and my fascination continues. Highly Recommended!

#BelleGreene #NetGalley. . 4.5 stars round up to 5 ! Thanks to Alexandra Lapierre, author and her translator for this fine work. I had read another author's work and had to balance and compare this one. My Book Club read the other book and we very much wanted to know more actual details, which this one did have.

There is no doubt this family did their best in a world that was unaccepting of different ethnicities. Was it wise overall, who actually could make that decision? Possibly the "we all sink or swim together" seems pretty dictatorial, but by whose standards?

I am very happy to have gotten this book and let others in my book club know. They were also enthusiastic to get it