Sophia Rose Reviews: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christoper Murray

 

Today on the blog Sophia Rose reviews, The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christoper Murray
Enjoy!

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Berkley

Published:  6.7.22

Pages: 368

Rating: 4.5 stars

Format: Trade Paperback

Source:  Borrowed

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

GoodReads Synopsis: 

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 in New York City society 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 create 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 she must go to--for the protection of her family and her legacy--to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

 

Sophia Rose's Review:

During the Gilded Age, the chances of a black woman becoming the personal librarian for JP Morgan was zilch.  And, yet it happened, unbeknownst to Morgan and everyone else.  The Personal Librarian, a joint writing effort, tells Belle’s story, poignantly and with great attention to historical background and culture.

 

The Personal Librarian is the life of high-rising Belle Da Costa Greene.  Her father was the first black man to graduate Harvard and he went on to advocate for equality taking him away from Belle and her family.  The family reinvented themselves allowing Belle with her lighter brown skin to change her name and claim a Portuguese heritage.  Her father taught her much about historical and rare items and she went on to be trained so that she captures the eye of the powerful and rich Mr. Morgan and becomes the ‘belle’ of Gilded Age New York society.

 

On a personal level, Belle charms all the Morgans save one, daughter Anne.  This pair of women strike against each other like flint and hold a hostile silence about their personal secrets.  Belle also experiences happiness of the heart and then heartbreak with a forbidden love.  But, through all she sees and experiences, her determination to keep the Pierpont Morgan library intact and eventually a library that will no longer be private, but the wealth of knowledge and art available to all, this is what keeps her going.

 

I’ve enjoyed a previous Marie Benedict book and enjoyed the personal way she brought out the women’s side of history.  I thought the pairing of Marie Benedict and new to me author Victoria Christopher Murray was grand and they brought their combined writing experience together to tell Belle’s tale so that I could see her in the historical context and see her as a vibrant, strong woman who can both hold to her secret heritage and family, but strike out independently on her own and follow her dreams.

 

All in all, The Personal Librarian lived up the hype of its release and I was glad to finally get the chance to read it.  Definitely recommend to those looking for impactive historical fiction with a women’s history and African American History emphasis.

 

 

Author Bio:

About Marie Benedict

Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator at two of the country's premier law firms. She 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 is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie's Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. 

Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. 

Up next is the February 11, 2025 release, The Queens of Crime, the thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival, mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a real-life murder, and the power of friendship among women.

And in April, her first children’s book will released, a middle grade historical adventure co-written with Courtney Sheinmel called The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.

 

About Victoria Christopher Murray

Victoria Christopher Murray is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than 30 novels, including the New York Times Instant Best Sellers, The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies. Both novels, Victoria co-wrote with Marie Benedict.

 

A native New Yorker, Victoria Christopher Murray attended Hampton University where she majored in Communication Disorders. After graduating, Victoria attended New York University’s Stern Business School where she received her MBA in Marketing.

 

Victoria spent ten years in Corporate America before she tested her entrepreneurial spirit. She opened a Financial Services Agency for Aegon, USA where she managed the number one division for nine consecutive years. However, Victoria always dreamed of writing and in 1997, she pursued her dream. 

 

Victoria originally self published her first novel, Temptation and in 2000, Time Warner published that novel. Temptation remained on the Essence bestsellers list for nine consecutive months. In 2001, Victoria received her first NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Literature with Temptation.

 

Over her career, Victoria has received numerous awards including the Phyllis Wheatley Trailblazer Award, the Delta Sigma Theta Osceola Award for Excellence in the Arts, Go On Girl Book Club Author of the Year, eleven African American Literary Awards and five NAACP Image Award nominations. In 2016, she won the Image Award for Outstanding Literature for her social commentary novel, Stand Your Ground. 

Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.

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