I forget how I found out about The Personal Librarian but as I read about it, knew it was perfect for my book club. Historical fiction – Check, Talented woman – Check, About a library and books – Check. We haven’t met up yet so I don’t know the other’s reactions but I found it a fascinating read that delivered on the promises of the book blurbs. Author, Pam Jenoff, has this to say, “An extraordinary tale that is both brilliant historical fiction and an important and timely commentary on racism….a must read.”
Belle da Costa Greene was the personal librarian to Gilded Age tycoon JP Morgan. Together they collected famous books and manuscripts to preserve the story of the written word. From Gutenberg bibles to pivotal translations of important works they sought pieces not just for their monetary value but also the history they are apart of. Along with books, they also collected classic Renaissance artwork. This private collection became a jewel, admired by many and it was overseen by a white passing Black woman, Belle da Costa Greene.
Born Belle Marion Greener, Belle was raised surrounded by her Black family in Washington D.C. At a young age the Greeners moved to New York City where Mrs. Greener crafted a white identity for her family believing it was the only way to provide opportunities and protect them. Eliminating the R at the end of Greener and inventing a Portuguese Grandmother, da Costa, who lent her olive complexion, they began living their new lives. Mr. Greener a staunch and proactive civil rights advocate was furious and left the family.
But thanks to being white passing, Belle was able to secure a job at the Princeton Library and befriend the nephew of JP Morgan. That friendship led to an opportunity and Belle seized the chance to be the personal librarian of the famous JP Morgan. From there she travelled the world acquiring masterpieces, winning auctions and scooping sales from under her male colleagues. Carried an on again off again affair with a married man and at the time was just as famous as Morgan himself within the social circles she navigated. All while constantly being on guard and having to hide her true identity, even from her lover.
When Marie Benedict began researching Belle and wanting to tell her story, she realized that as a white woman she couldn’t write Belle’s story on her own. Fortunately, she connected with Victoria Christopher Murray and together they finely crafted this fictional account of the incredible true life story of Belle da Costa Greene. I highly recommend The Personal Librarian. It’s an interesting speculation of the internal story of a Black woman passing as white in the upper echelons of society in the early 1900s and a fascinating look at a time of heady acquisitions amongst the elite as they built their legacy collections.