A review by booksalacarte
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian and the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is a captivating look into the life of one of the most important women in the Art world at the beginning of the 20th century. The complexity and duality of her life is fascinating and so important, a poignant commentary on racism and Belle’s courage.
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