Record Details

Catalog Search

Search The Catalog


The personal librarian Cover Image Book

The personal librarian / Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.

Benedict, Marie, (author.). Murray, Victoria Christopher, (author.).

Summary:

"The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan's personal librarian-who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray. In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. Pierpont Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene 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 build a world-class collection. But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and well-known advocate for equality. 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. The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go-for the protection of her family and her legacy-to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives"--

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780593101537
  • ISBN: 0593101537
  • ISBN: 9780593437032
  • ISBN: 0593437039
  • Physical Description: 341 pages ; 24 cm
  • Publisher: New York : Berkley, [2021]

Content descriptions

General Note:
Includes Historical note, Marie Benedict's author's note, and Victoria Christopher Murray's author's note.

Search for related items by subject

Subject:
Greene, Belle da Costa > Fiction.
African American women librarians > Biography > Fiction.
Passing (Identity) > Fiction.
New York (N.Y.) > History > 1898-1951 > Juvenile fiction.
Genre:
Biographical fiction.
Historical fiction.
Novels.
Biographies.

Available copies

  • 147 of 185 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 1 of 3 copies available at Onslow County Public Library.

Holds

  • 7 current holds with 185 total copies.
Sort by distance from:
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Richlands Branch Library FIC BENEDICT (Text) 36015001832175 Adult Fiction Checked out 08/18/2026
Sneads Ferry Branch Library FIC BENEDICT (Text) 36015001832183 Adult Fiction Checked out 08/19/2026
Swansboro Branch Library FIC BENEDICT (Text) 36015001830476 Adult Fiction Available -

Accessibility Features

Summaries & More

Awards, Reviews, & Suggested Reads

Shelf Browser

MARC Record

LDR 03422cam a2200493 i 4500
00113791244
003CARDINAL
00520210915152417.0
007ta ||||||||||||||||||||
008201130t20212021nyu 000 f eng
010 . ‡a 2020045266
020 . ‡a9780593101537 ‡q(hardcover)
020 . ‡a0593101537 ‡q(hardcover)
020 . ‡a9780593437032
020 . ‡a0593437039
035 . ‡a(OCoLC)1194871842
035 . ‡z(OCoLC)1240176979 ‡z(OCoLC)1256669955 ‡z(OCoLC)1256670187 ‡z(OCoLC)1259448579 ‡z(OCoLC)1259448592 ‡z(OCoLC)1263177801
040 . ‡aDLC ‡beng ‡erda ‡cDLC ‡dOCLCF ‡dMJ8 ‡dOCLCO ‡dABJ ‡dOCO ‡dOCLCO ‡dFMG ‡dJAS ‡dILC ‡dVP@ ‡dOCLCO ‡dUKMGB ‡dOCLCO ‡dYU6 ‡dOCL ‡dOCLCO ‡dYDX ‡dMLSOD ‡dCNCAR ‡dOCLCO ‡dKK2 ‡dIBD ‡dTCH ‡dDLC ‡dOCLCO ‡dMTG
042 . ‡apcc
05000. ‡aPS3620.E75 ‡bP47 2021
08200. ‡a813/.6 ‡bB4634p ‡223
1001 . ‡aBenedict, Marie, ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)414780
24514. ‡aThe personal librarian / ‡cMarie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
264 1. ‡aNew York : ‡bBerkley, ‡c[2021]
264 4. ‡c©2021
300 . ‡a341 pages ; ‡c24 cm
336 . ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent
337 . ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia
338 . ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier
340 . ‡nregular print
385 . ‡nage ‡aChildren ‡2lcdgt
500 . ‡aIncludes Historical note, Marie Benedict's author's note, and Victoria Christopher Murray's author's note.
520 . ‡a"The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan's personal librarian-who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray. In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. Pierpont Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene 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 build a world-class collection. But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and well-known advocate for equality. 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. The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go-for the protection of her family and her legacy-to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives"--
60010. ‡aGreene, Belle da Costa ‡vFiction.
650 0. ‡aAfrican American women librarians ‡vBiography ‡vFiction.
650 0. ‡aPassing (Identity) ‡vFiction. ‡0(CARDINAL)308378
651 0. ‡aNew York (N.Y.) ‡xHistory ‡y1898-1951 ‡vJuvenile fiction.
655 7. ‡aBiographical fiction. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)336089
655 7. ‡aHistorical fiction. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)336259
655 7. ‡aNovels. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)336215
655 7. ‡aBiographies. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)326681
7001 . ‡aMurray, Victoria Christopher, ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)534122
902 . ‡aMARCIVE 202303
901 . ‡a13791244 ‡bUnknown ‡c13791244 ‡tbiblio