The Personal Librarian

 I do not think there is a book written by author Marie Benedict that I do not love.  Her newest             book, The Personal Librarian is no exception.  This is a novel about the history of our country, the mind set of people in America. It is the story of a woman who grew up in a home with a mother who wanted something different for herself and her children.   A wonderful story of perseverance and strength in the face of prejudice and racism in America.

This time Benedict has worked with co-author, Victoria Christopher Murray.   The match has created a book of timeless historical perspective along with the imagined feelings of the people who were there.

What a wonderful storyline, how a young woman grew up with a mother who sacrificed so much to see her daughter succeed in a prejudice world.  Her mother's fanatic support led  Belle da Costa Greene, to become the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan, who was one of the early 20th century's wealthiest and most powerful men.

Belle grows up away from her relatives and her father because her mother realized that she and her children could pass at a time in American history when being black made it difficult  to succeed in business.  Though her father, Richard Greener,  was the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. His decision to fight for equality for people of color leads Belle's mother to choose a different path for herself and her children.  

Explaining away her darker skin tone as being of Portuguese heritage she becomes the assistant to J.P. Morgan.  He trusts her to curate his collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork.  He is building the Pierpont Morgan Library which will house the most sort after art and artifacts.  Belle has incredible taste and is a quick study of what his collection should and how to negotiate for the most important pieces. She develops a shrewd style of winning away the pieces Morgan wants at auction before anyone else can even put in a bid.  

Told in such a humanistic and warm way, this is a story of their relationship, her relationship with J. P. Morgan's children and his colleagues .  The fear Belle lived with on a daily basis as she moved in these wealthy aristocratic world always afraid something would give her away, is so realistic.