The Personal Librarian ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict

G👀gle/AI

"The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan's personal librarian, who, despite being a black woman, passed as white to navigate early 20th-century society and build a world-renowned collection for the Pierpont Morgan Library. The novel explores themes of identity, ambition, and the impact of racial prejudice on one's life and career.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literature, African American Fiction, Books About Books
Circa: 1905

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Although she was really more of a curator than a librarian, wheelin’ and dealin’ to build the most impressive collection. It was interesting that her father was an equal rights activist however, due to their lighter skin her mother wanted her and her siblings to live as white in order to have better opportunities in life.

I also enjoyed the two authors notes at the end of the book. Marie explains what is historical and what she filled in with fiction. I actually think people might benefit from reading those first, except there would be a spoiler.

Marie Benedict is my new fav so I have a few of hers on my list. She pulled in a co-author because, being a white historical fiction writer, she wanted to address the complexity of a black woman passing as white. When I watched the video recording about The Queens of Crime, she said she does that when she writes Young Adult too. She wants them to learn the history but she also wants it to be relatable to the young readers.

If I ever go back to New York I will definitely put a visit to the J.P. Morgan Library on my agenda. It is open to the public and is actually free on Fridays. I’d probably be more inclined to pay to get in assuming there would be less of a crowd. Although they say the tickets are timed entries, so who knows? Not that I have any travel plans to go to New York, however my sister and I have discussed for YEARS to go for the lighting of the tree.

🎧Robin Miles


She died in 1950 at the age of 71 from Cancer.





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