Written by contributor Jee W
Thank you, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray for writing this book. I’ve been waiting for a story that would keep me engaged till the end and finally, after a long and arduous search, I’ve found it! Writing a historical fiction about lesser-known real-life-characters is a challenging task on its own, and to make it engaging and realistic to the reader is another level altogether. But this dynamic duo did it, so kudos to them!
Set in the year 1905, the Personal Librarian is a historical fiction based on the life of Belle da Costa Greene. At just 26 years old, she was hired by J.P. Morgan, the financier, to be his personal librarian to create and curate a collection of collection of rare manuscripts, incunabula, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library in New York. But Belle wasn’t who she claimed to be. She was a coloured girl named Belle Marion Greener, but her light complexion could pass her off as white, and with the advice from her mother, she lived and led her life as one. With that, Belle accomplished what many other African Americans weren’t able to during that era of Jim Crow. By living as a white person, she was able to live more ‘freely’, attending balls, dining at restaurants, traveling and most of all, created a name for herself.
Marie Benedict, in her ‘Author’s Note’, shared that she discovered Belle when she was in an unhappy phase in her life and the Pierpont Morgan Library became her refuge. There she learned about Belle from a passing docent. Her story haunted her for decades, but she knew she couldn’t write this alone if she wanted an authentic voice and point of view of an African American woman. And that was how, author Victoria Christopher Murray came into this collaboration. I’m so glad that Benedict made this decision because it made the whole story all the more engaging.
I loved how the authors were able to combine history with fiction so seamlessly, making the whole story come alive. It kept me intrigued, fascinated, and mesmerised throughout. What a life Bella led! After her father left them, she took over the reign and worked hard to support her family. As much as she loved her father, she knew her mother was right and had to do what she had to do in order to survive—to live her life as a white person. But Bella not only survived, she thrived, excelled, and surpassed all expectations. She worked her way up a male-dominated world, earned their respect with her achievements and her forthright, tenacious, and indomitable character. And she realised, early in her career, despite what her mama told her—to be cautious and blend— that she ‘must be bold, daring to hide my differences in plain sight’ in order to fit in.
What kept me turning the pages wasn’t only Belle and the question of if her true identity would ever be found out, but also her complicated relationships with the people around her especially her boss, Mr. Morgan. They had such a unique relationship. When asked if she was his mistress, she replied, “We tried!” And in one scene, Mr. Morgan said he wished he were younger and when Belle asked why, he said, “It would give me longer with you.” Belle admittedly had romantic feelings for him too, had reciprocated his kiss, but also oftentimes look up to him as her partner in crime, her boss and also a father figure. They clearly held each other in high regards and were such a powerful pair. Their chemistry, the song and dance they played, their passion of wanting to turn the library into one of a kind, their celebratory toasts to Belle’s many successes, and the question of, will they ever be together (no I didn’t Google to get this question answered), kept me interested. Their feelings for each other were undeniable. Sometimes I wondered if Mr Morgan would still accept her were she to reveal her true self?
Then there was Belle’s love life; the one with Mr. Berenson. She found someone whom she loved and loved her back, but of course, with Belle’s life, nothing was simple and straightforward. Mr. Berenson was married. Nevertheless, they had a relationship, one that was ‘approved’ by Mrs. Berenson herself. Is he trustworthy? Will he stay true to her?
Amidst all the ups and downs that happened in Belle’s life, two things stayed constant—her drive to succeed and her passion for her job. I only wished she could share her success with her father openly, the one person who started and encouraged her love for books. It just goes to show that racism just continues to break families apart. It wasn’t easy for Belle to come to terms with her life living as a white, even as she became more confident, she still always had to be cautious, look behind her back, for always having that fear of being found out. She saw that it wasn’t easy for her mother too, especially when they went back to Washington, DC for Gramma Fleet’s funeral and received a cold welcome from their family, who felt betrayed by Belle’s mother’s decision to live as whites and said that ‘turned her back on [them]’, chiding her for taking on the name ‘Greenes’.
This book would also make you want to visit Morgan Library Museum in New York, walk through its ornate bronze doors, enter the lavish entryway rotunda, and be immersed in the grandeur of it all. Read the book first of course, then google the images, then book a tour when it’s safe to start traveling!
The Personal Librarian is an immersive, well-told, and thoroughly researched historical fiction about a remarkable personal librarian, whose name I think, should be mentioned alongside J.P. Morgan’s whenever the Morgan Library Museum is mentioned, because everyone should know about the woman who took risks, carved her own path, silenced the naysayers, and forged ahead to becoming one of America’s most prominent librarians in history.
Definitely a must-read, especially for fans of historical fiction!
The Personal Librarian is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 29th 2021.
Will you be picking up The Personal Librarian? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian–who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict and acclaimed author 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 on the New York society scene 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 build 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 to which she must go–for the protection of her family and her legacy–to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.
