Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star By holding up an unflinching mirror and illuminating this little-known chapter in American history, these two gifted authors have penned a work that is a must-read.” “An extraordinary tale that is both brilliant historical fiction and an important and timely commentary on racism.

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. 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. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. 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.īut Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict, and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray. And the fact that I’m a woman means that every time I enter a room, I will have everyone’s attention, which is exactly what the Pierpont Morgan Library deserves.The remarkable story of J. My passion for rare manuscripts and incunabula means that I will be relentless in acquiring the ideal items to make your collection incomparable, learning from your expertise in negotiation and the marketplace as I do so, of course. My youth means that I have boundless time and undivided energy to devote to you and your collection. My relative inexperience means that I do not arrive with any staid, old preconceptions that hamper what the Pierpont Morgan Library can become instead, my vision and ambition for the library are limitless. It is that exact divergence between my characteristics and everyone else’s that makes me the perfect candidate for the Pierpont Morgan Library. Morgan, I am glad you pointed out that your other candidates are different from me, in experience, age, and”-I pause for emphasis-“gender.

Authors of the personal librarian