Welcome to Litsy!

This is a very soft pick for me. I think I‘d have preferred a nonfiction account. I finished it because it‘s for my irl book club, and it sent me to the internet to find out more. But the writing itself was at best bland, at worst anachronistic. And the name dropping got tiresome. We know Bernard was a cad - no need to drag Edith Wharton into it.

Book #12 for the year. Alll the feels with this book: It‘s the story of Belle da Costa Greene. The personal librarian for J. P. Morgan. She helped to curate and expand his personal library during the 1900‘s. For a woman to hold a job like this, during this time in history and become one of the most influential women of the time is a feat in itself. To do so while keeping secret that she was a person of color was extraordinary. (Continued ⬇️

My morning read is turning out to be a good one! “I repeat Mama‘s words in my head and maintain a self-assured silence in the face of his inspection, understanding this part of the test. And no matter what he thinks, he must believe I am a confident, competent white woman.” This almost took me out. Shoutout to my sonshine for the cool bookmark. He was all of 6 when this was gifted. He‘s 24 now!

#FirstLineFridays

The Old North bell tolls the hour, and I realize that I‘ll be late.

I‘ll admit I struggled a little at first with this book, but after the half way point, I was engrossed. I like when historical fiction introduces you to a real person or event that may not be well known and so The Personal Librarian was perfect in that aspect. I‘d not heard of Belle de Costa Greene, but her story was amazing and deserved to be told.

Best book of January 2023. I read this for book group and loved it. Although now that it‘s been a year, I‘m fuzzy on the exact details. #12BooksofChristmas @Andrew65

This was a fascinating story of Belle De Costa Greene also known as Belle Marion Greener a black woman who lived her life as a white woman because her and her family were fair skinned, she became a successful art and rare manuscripts curator for JPMorgan‘s Pierpont Morgan Library, a wonderful historical fiction
Book1 of #NovelNovember #readathon

This was a really good book. A young woman becomes the personal librarian for J. P. Morgan and his Pierpont Morgan Library. She becomes a fixture in New York society. The only problem is that this young woman is a light skinned black woman passing as a white woman. This is her story of how she became so successful at what she did while at the same time going to great lengths to protect her secret.

Hello from Phu Quoc 🐚

@dabbe I got your books today, thank you! I look forward to reading them. 🙂📚

I believe these are the last #book2book books I requested. Thank you again @AllDebooks , my TBR exploded!

I went thrifting yesterday! Spent $15 and came home with the pictured books. 😍📚

#Book2Book @ALLDEBOOKS

Open to all who signed up using the form in #AllDeBook's original post. 🤗

@LiteraryinLawrence, @Soubhiville, @Cuilin, @TheBookHippie, @Lizpixie, @Clwojick, @Chrissyreadit, @BookwormAHN, @CSeydel, @julieclair, @Catsandbooks, @bcncookbookclub, @TheAromaofBooks, @Tineke, @Bookish_Gal, @KateReadsYA

I really liked the premise of this book and got really excited when I learned it is based on a true story of a woman passing while creating a huge personal library for J.P. Morgan. But the writing itself felt more like a list of historical events with most of the major action for the character being told in cast off way. I wish I had been able to be more absorbed by the world of this interesting woman.

Excellent historical fiction about JP Morgan‘s personal librarian Bella de Costa Green, a black woman who lived her adult life as white, becoming an incredibly well paid and successful career woman in the early 1900s in the art world of NYC.

As a fictional book this may have garnered something just above a so-so from me because I thought the telling lacked focus. But major kudos for introducing me to a fascinating IRL woman in American history and sending me down the internet rabbit hole for Belle Da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan, Richard T. Greener, and Bernard Berenson.

This historical fiction is light on the immersion and more about Belle de Costa Greene herself. I was in turns deeply sad for and immensely proud of the Black daughter of a prominent civil rights attorney passing as white and running J.P. Morgan's personal library, developing his manuscript collection and acquiring art as well. Belle's accomplishments and incredible life deserved to be documented; I'm glad to know that she lived.

#temptingtitles #withanoccupation @eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Repotted and tended my houseplants today while listening to the tagged book, can't complain ☺️

I really enjoy the historical fiction of Marie Benedict. This selection is co-authored with Victoria Christopher Murray and gives us a glimpse into the life of Belle de Costa Greene. Being a woman in the early 1900‘s was limiting. Being a woman and black was even more so. Belle de Costa Greene passed for white and became the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. What an extraordinary story and life.

❤❤❤

An inspiring story about an amazing woman well known for her intelligence, fashion sense, and sharp wit who must go to extreme lengths to maintain her white identity in a world of racism. It's remarkable how she is able to protect her family while still upholding her values.

#blackhistorymonth

Let‘s focus on what we have in common and not on the differences that have pulled us apart.

Last: The Ice Swan 😍

Current: The Personal Librarian (#botm) & The Hellion

Next: The Holly and the Ivy

While the writing isn‘t overly polished the sheer brightness and magnitude of Belle da Costa Greene is spectacular. Based on the true account of Belle Marion Greener, a black woman passing as white, who was the personal librarian for JP Morgan & in charge of acquiring & purchasing rare manuscripts and art for the NY scion. Her position was unheard of for a woman in the early 1900‘s let alone one who had to hide her color & true identity.

My rooms still a mess, and the tension headache I‘ve had most of the week is back, but I‘m done with the book! On some level I knew these types of positions exist, but I had no idea what they really were about. But there‘s so many layers to Belle‘s life, I couldn‘t possibly get into all my thoughts here. Just a great read and my second book of 2023.

My rooms a mess and I don‘t feel real great this morning but book group is tomorrow and I still have half the book to read. So I‘m going to have my breakfast, read, and try to motivate myself to get some housework done. Happy Saturday Littens!

I‘m really enjoying this #HF based on JPMorgan‘s personal librarian, Belle Costa de Green, a black woman passing for white in the early years of the twentieth century. Robin Miles is one of my favorite narrators. #52Books #BooksOnTheCover

#UpNext Love Robin Miles 🙌🏻🎧♥️#52Books #BooksOnTheCover #Libby

#12booksof2022 Another month in which I read one book. And I was ho-hum about the book.

Day 5 May 2022 #12BooksOf2022

J. P. Morgan‘s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene was a Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white. Her father was the first Black graduate of Harvard.

@Andrew65

Happy New Year Littens! Here are my first 2 books of 2023! I‘m bouncing back and forth between them. The Personal librarian is for my IRL book group and I need to have it finished by next Sunday. Midnight Caller is just for fun. I‘m off today and tomorrow so I‘m hoping to make good progress.

Just leapt through from Libby ☺️☺️🥰 in time for me to start.

3.75⭐️ I enjoyed the book a little bit more than I did the last time I read it six months ago, but there were some things that I wished would have done: 1) revealed why the family decided to pass as white (what were the reasons her mom had for doing this) 2) not write the book in such a clinical manner and have more emotion to the story rather than just in a matter of fact way 3) have a conflict that is central to the story and not just ⬇️

Having no idea about Morgan's “personal“ librarian, I was intrigued by the events and history surrounding one of the most powerful men in the Gilded Age. More importantly, though, Belle held most of my interest, and I couldn't put the book down. Belle would be one of my top 5 people I'd want to have dinner with--just to shake her hand and listen to whatever she'd want to share. And I loved this book and was sad to see it end.

A story of a phenomenal woman. She became the Personal Librarian for J.Pierpont Morgan, a titan of the world of business, at a time when women had very little opportunity to work in a man‘s world. And she had a secret. She was a Black woman, passing as White in order to have a better life. Racism was rampant, and it was very dangerous. Belle was glamorous, brave and brilliant. Inspired.

Painting of Belle da Costa Greene by Paul César Helleu, 1913

Just a reminder for anyone who is interested! 📚💕📚 Tonight is the FREE author event at my library featuring Marie Benedict (which I'm moderating! 😱)!!!

Here is the Zoom info for anyone who might want to attend!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89963211779?pwd=ZXFmbHFZZ3ZiaUlCeEVuV0lIT0dJZz09

Meeting ID: 899 6321 1779
Passcode: 804157

This was suggested to use for my church book club. I enjoyed this HF & am disappointed that I didn‘t know about the Library on my previous trips to NYC. Definitely want to go next time. 4 🌟

My library is hosting Marie Benedict on the date above and while I'm a bit bummed it's virtual through Zoom and not in person, this means more people are able to come! 😄💕📚 If you like The Personal Librarian or any of her works, please think about signing up for this FREE event at my library! I'm moderating the event, and I'm VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT!

Register here!
https://farmlib.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=33537

This finally came in from the library after weeks of waiting! It was supposed to be my august book suggested by a friend, so I‘m a little behind 🤷🏻‍♀️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn‘t have a lot of the #letterP to choose from. The tagged was good though. The Princess Bride is a very close second (though I do love the movie more. Probably because I‘d seen it so many times before I read the book 😂)

#alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Starting today for my F2F bookclub.

Wonderful! Brilliant historical fiction that sparkles from page one. The life of Belle da Costa Greene was just as remarkable as she was and I‘m so thankful to have learned her story. The authors careful handling of her life story is so appreciated and I encourage readers to be sure to read the authors‘ notes at the end of the book-they really enhanced my reading experience and understanding. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday! I‘m starting this new beauty here at my favorite beach. The sun should be coming out in the next hour but I‘m loving it here anyways. Keep reading❤️❤️ #thepersonallibrarianbeachreads #nytbestseller

#LMPBC Round 14 - #GroupA
@Jerdencon @smalldogs_bigbooks2419

@suvata has mailed a book to @IndoorDame

Thanks, y‘all. It was a fun round.

• Read in June 2022 for Litsy Markup Postal Book Club #LMPBC Round 14 - Group A

Interesting historical book about New York City society in the early 1900s and of the lifetime fear of a woman “passing” in a world made up of rich white men. Belle was a remarkable person.

Great book to wrap up #LMPBC Round 14

@suvata I just brought the book to the Post Office. Estimated delivery date 6/22. Tracking number 9549 0101 4222 2165 0116 34
@Jerdencon @IndoorDame I can‘t believe we‘re almost done with this swap! It‘s been so fun and I‘m really looking forward to getting our own books back and reading each other‘s comments. 🥰

What a fascinating story! Learning the intimate details of how JP Morgan‘s personal librarian carved a role for a successful women in the world of art & wealth was really interesting. It to learn that age did it while passing as white and all the struggles that come with that really made it intriguing. Very well written & enjoyable.

Finally got some shelving for our library we were renovating! I‘m so in love!! How do you guys organize your books?

I went with genre. But if I had multiple shelves of the same genre I grouped them as TBR or Read 😂