I’ve had a feeling I’d love being part of a book club for years… and I finally joined my neighborhood’s monthly gathering! This year has been all about trying new things, and book club fits right into that theme. The ladies were so warm and welcoming and I immediately felt right at home. I truly enjoyed the lively discussion, the fellowship, and the chance to meet women at many different stages of life.
Our selection for the month (chosen by vote) was The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. It’s historical fiction – my favorite genre – set in Gilded Age New York, and tells the incredible true story of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian. Belle was a Black woman who passed as white in order to pursue a career that supported her family and ultimately changed the course of history.
Her story is powerful, poignant, and one I had never heard before picking up this book. Afterwards, I couldn’t help but dive deeper into her life and share it with friends. I’ve always loved reading historical fiction set in the places I travel, and this would be a perfect read ahead of a trip to New York. I’d love to visit the Morgan Library in person on my next visit!
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.
Here’s to more good books, great company, and saying “yes” to new things in this season.
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